Review: The Polar Express (2004)
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
by Jeff Brown
Inner Projection
If you've come to this one late, haven't seen it yet . . . I envy you. Having seen it over twenty times with the family, I wish I was able to see it again and again fresh each time to fully experience the wonder, the magic, the story.
If you grew up in the Northeast, this movie reeks of the magic, the wonder, the malted-milkshake-tummy-tingling--warming sensation that is the winter wonderland of Christmas in New England. There is nothing like the quiet magic of walking alone in new fallen snow. Animals whisper by. Trees sway, tossing marsh-mellow fluff onto your coat. Snowplows thud and clatter, the only color outside the barren trees. The wonder, the magic, the mystery is all here in the opening scenes of Polar Express.
The wonder and warmth of the season is expressed in the parents in their Christmas dress and hat, putting the youngest to bed, tucking her in, sugar plumbs and Santa a wondering in her eyes.
The boy, however, has other ideas. He is "NOT A BELIEVER!" as the ghost on the Polar Express yells down at him from above in a later scene.
The animation is captivating, exhilarating.
The scene of the ticket blowing out the window, rushing down the ravine, being swept up and along by the wolves, then taken up, up, up to the bird's nest by the mother looking to feed her little ones, then down, down, down, sweeping through snow-swollen woods back to the train. The beauty and spectacle awe inspiring.
Throughout the movie there is scene, after scene, after scene of action, entertainment, and creative wonder. The main characters (hero-girl, lonely-boy, and hero-boy) build a bond that goes beyond the mundane, the ordinary to express important messages of kindness, honor, bravery, sacrifice, unity, family, and, of course, friendship.
In the end we meet Santa. But this Santa is beyond the extraordinary, he radiates kindness, patience, wholesomeness, a beauty of great depth and breadth that shines through his glowing cheeks and brow and bellowing voice of tender thunder. He is a giant, a wonder to behold who dispenses to the hero-boy the first gift of Christmas.
In the end, the hero-boy wakes Christmas morn to find the bell he cherished so much that had fallen from the reindeer's harness. He desired the bell as the first gift of Christmas because his non-believing heart suddenly, finally pulsates with belief as he overcomes his inability to hear the chime of the hundreds of bells on the reindeer's harness to the cascading wonderment of molten joy and love, faith even that radiates not only from the now ringing bells, the chiming, chiming, chiming of the bells but from his head and heart, even his soul.
What a visual wonder and adventure. What a message of love, the Charity of Christ, even. What a wonderful message for Christmas morn.
If you grew up in the Northeast, this movie reeks of the magic, the wonder, the malted-milkshake-tummy-tingling--warming sensation that is the winter wonderland of Christmas in New England. There is nothing like the quiet magic of walking alone in new fallen snow. Animals whisper by. Trees sway, tossing marsh-mellow fluff onto your coat. Snowplows thud and clatter, the only color outside the barren trees. The wonder, the magic, the mystery is all here in the opening scenes of Polar Express.
The boy, however, has other ideas. He is "NOT A BELIEVER!" as the ghost on the Polar Express yells down at him from above in a later scene.
The animation is captivating, exhilarating.
The scene of the ticket blowing out the window, rushing down the ravine, being swept up and along by the wolves, then taken up, up, up to the bird's nest by the mother looking to feed her little ones, then down, down, down, sweeping through snow-swollen woods back to the train. The beauty and spectacle awe inspiring.
Throughout the movie there is scene, after scene, after scene of action, entertainment, and creative wonder. The main characters (hero-girl, lonely-boy, and hero-boy) build a bond that goes beyond the mundane, the ordinary to express important messages of kindness, honor, bravery, sacrifice, unity, family, and, of course, friendship.
In the end we meet Santa. But this Santa is beyond the extraordinary, he radiates kindness, patience, wholesomeness, a beauty of great depth and breadth that shines through his glowing cheeks and brow and bellowing voice of tender thunder. He is a giant, a wonder to behold who dispenses to the hero-boy the first gift of Christmas.
In the end, the hero-boy wakes Christmas morn to find the bell he cherished so much that had fallen from the reindeer's harness. He desired the bell as the first gift of Christmas because his non-believing heart suddenly, finally pulsates with belief as he overcomes his inability to hear the chime of the hundreds of bells on the reindeer's harness to the cascading wonderment of molten joy and love, faith even that radiates not only from the now ringing bells, the chiming, chiming, chiming of the bells but from his head and heart, even his soul.
What a visual wonder and adventure. What a message of love, the Charity of Christ, even. What a wonderful message for Christmas morn.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi Jeff.Wow! I've seen it once, but hadn't looked at it in quite that light. Maybe I'll have to have another look. Beautifully written.DianneDianne,
Yes, it is certainly an inspiring movie. It's inspiration is in the writing. Thanks for reading, and, yes, it is certainly worth another look, or two, or three, or . . ..
Jeff,Haven't seen it several times, I was taken once again to the magic, the beauty, the charm and the message by your words.My husband and I have made a new tradition: the first showing of The Polar Express is after dinner on Thanksgiving. I look forward to that evening at various times throughout the year.Thanks for renewing a wonderful experience. Beautifully written.NancyNancy,
That's a great tradition. Thanks for stopping by to read. Glad you liked the review.
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