Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 188
Fresh: 102 | Rotten: 86
Robert Zemeckis' 3-D animated take on the Dickens classic tries hard, but its dazzling special effects distract from an array of fine performances from Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman.
Average Rating: 6/10
Critic Reviews: 37
Fresh: 21 | Rotten: 16
Robert Zemeckis' 3-D animated take on the Dickens classic tries hard, but its dazzling special effects distract from an array of fine performances from Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman.
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Movie Info
Robert Zemeckis directs this animated version of the Yuletide classic A Christmas Story. The story centers on Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey), a penny-pinching miser who cares nothing for the people around him, least of all his hopelessly downtrodden employee Bob Cratchit (Gary Oldman) and infectiously optimistic nephew, Fred (Colin Firth). On Christmas Eve, after a frightening encounter with the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, Scrooge is visited by three spirits -- the
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Cast
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Jim Carrey
Ebenezer Scrooge, Ghost... -
Gary Oldman
Bob Cratchit, Marley, T... -
Colin Firth
Fred -
Bob Hoskins
Fezziwig, Old Joe -
Robin Wright
Belle, Fan -
Cary Elwes
Business Man #1, Dick W... -
Fionnula Flanagan
Mrs. Dilber -
Jacquie Barnbrook
Fred's Sister-in-Law, M... -
Ryan Ochoa
Ignorance Boy, Young Cr... -
Sammi Hanratty
Want Girl, Young Cratch... -
Daryl Sabara
Peter Cratchit, Underta... -
Lesley Manville
Mrs. Cratchit -
Julian Holloway
Fat Cook -
Fay Masterson
Caroline, Martha Cratch... -
Julene Renee
Adult Want -
Steve Valentine
Funerary Undertaker, To... -
Callum Blue
Caroline's Husband -
Sonje Fortag
Fred's Housemaid -
Matthew Henerson
Poulterer -
Raymond Ochoa
Caroline's Child -
Molly Quinn
Belinda Cratchit -
Kerry Hoyt
Adult Ignorance -
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Disney's A Christmas Carol Trailer & Photos
All Critics (189) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (104) | Rotten (87) | DVD (7)
The motion capture animation is top-notch and it's hard not to be impressed with what Robert Zemeckis has wrought, even if there's the occasional sense he's pandering to an audience that can't get through a 90 minute story without a few yuks and a chase.
Top CriticHow they made it into this Disney adaptation unprettified is a Christmas miracle in itself.
Zemeckis' film preserves much of Dickens' original dialogue and detail while amplifying the utter ethereal strangeness of the ghosts.
There's a lot of dark magic in this Dickensian Yuletide.
Want the creeps for Christmas? Then check out the latest version of A Christmas Carol.
Does this entertainment achieve a timelessness beyond its exquisite source material? Not even. Yet there's pleasure to be had and relief in feeling the filmmakers didn't Scrooge it up either.
One cannot help but feel the same effect could have been accomplished by simply making a live action film with state-of-the-art visual effects.
A remarkable and effective adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel that manages to overcome the familiarity of its source material and become something more fulfilling.
A supernatural parable of terrifying, chain-rattling spirits and mind-warping time travel, with a theme of social responsibility that extends far beyond seasonal cheer.
Bah humbug: Zemeckis and Carrey screw with Scrooge.
Zemeckis and Disney's collaboration brings about a cold and forgettable variation using the advent of animation and technology to destroy the magic...
A handsome Blu-ray presentation of a film that largely plays like one of those video game cutscenes you can't skip.
Zemeckis's retelling of A Christmas Carol is solid, most importantly letting the story itself shine through where it naturally does.
Creepy animation and a somewhat tired retelling might have you longing for the Muppet adaptation instead. At least the film's 3D-designed visuals are breathtaking.
The ghosts and the gnarled Scrooge are impressive, but there is a waxy, at times eerie, look to the human characters.
The 1951 Alastair Sim version still ranks as the Number 1 Christmas Carol, but this mo-cap CGI animated version comes in a close second.
With a price tag of $175 million, Zemeckis might have even been able to pinch some pennies by abandoning the mo-cap and filming A Christmas Carol in live action. Hmm, I sound a little like Scrooge. Bah humbug!
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What's good is very good and what's bad is sadly bad. I wish I could cut a montage of the sobering and well-thought-out segue from Present to Future, the swooping flights through London and Scrooge's amazing face.
The razzle-dazzle is just about seamless, but warmth is sacrificed along the way
There's a certain irony in having a timeless tale about a man finding his soul being told in the most soulless way possible
Its' lavish details bridge the gap between the real and the imagined in a way heretofore impossible.. the filmmakers have put most of their magic in the media and not the message.
Audience Reviews for Disney's A Christmas Carol
Super Reviewer
I have heard this looks great in 3D, I have not seen it in 3D so I can't comment, as for 2D its good but nothing special, the voices in use are a good selection. Hoskins is of course perfect as is Oldman, Elwes and Penn I'm not so sure about where as Carrey is actually not bad, but not great either. The creators deemed it wise to make the characters appear like the stars so unfortunately we have 'Scrooge' looking like an aged Carrey haha which kinda makes it feel like a stupid Carrey film, luckily Carrey does perform sensibly.
It looks nice, very sharp and crisp but the motion capture CGI is still horrible and spooky to be honest, it would have looked so much nicer with 'regular' CGI characters. Its also quite scary in places for kids with afew jumpy moments which actually added to the atmosphere nicely but not good for the very young. A nice tale looking very rich and glossy but its also kinda dull and boring as we all know the story backwards by now, the best version for me is still 'The Muppet Christmas Carol'.
Super Reviewer
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- Fred: A Merry Christmas to you, uncle!
- Ebenezer Scrooge: Bah! Humbug... What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.
- Fred: What reason have you to be so dismal? You're rich enough.
- Ebenezer Scrooge: BAH! Humbug!
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Latest News on Disney's A Christmas Carol
November 17, 2009:
Disney's Christmas Wishes Coming TrueRobert Zemeckis' "A Christmas Carol" has divided critics, but Disney was hoping for a holiday movie...
November 8, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Christmas Carol Tops, Precious RocksThis weekend Moviegoers powered Jim Carrey's holiday kidpic A Christmas Carol to a number one...
November 5, 2009:
Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But DisappointsThis week at the movies, we've got some modern-day Dickens (Disney's A Christmas Carol, starring Jim...
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Foreign Titles
- Disney's Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte (DE)
- A Christmas Carol (UK)
