Rate this Movie 
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:168
Fresh:92
Rotten:76
Average Rating:5.9/10
Consensus: 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.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating]
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Nov 6, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $137,816,456
Synopsis: Director Robert Zemeckis (THE POLAR EXPRESS) continues to work his holiday magic with A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This 3-D adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic will use the motion capture technology... [More]
Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins
Director: Robert Zemeckis
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.
Robert Zemeckis' infatuation with the motion-capture animation process has officially gone too far...
There's no heart, and I don't put it simply on the visuals that almost look real at times. Amazing 3D is the only thing this dark version does really well.
...there isn't much to fall in love with in Robert Zemeckis's visually overpowering motion-capture-animation...
takes full advantage of the technologies available, but fails to illuminate or otherwise expand Dickens' story in any meaningful ways
If you're remaking a classic merely to one-up whoever remade it previously, is it really worth the effort? Fortunately, Jim Carrey decided not to waste a wasted opportunity.
Watching the humans in this live action/animation combo is like watching 'Zombies On Parade'
The 3D isn't enough to justify yet another version of this familiar tale; the film seems more opportunistic than necessary.
This film is dark and scary enough that it just might scare some in the audience straight.
It is done with skill and imagination, and overseen by a director, Robert Zemeckis, who knows the value of occasionally quietening things down for a bit of tension or a precisely timed joke.
Faithfully rendered and extremely frightening.
What's curious about the movie is that you can tart it up all you want, but Dickens' words still resonate, his characters still infuriate, frighten and touch, and there's still satisfaction to be had in his tale.
Jamais deixa de impressionar.
It's a film so determined to make you notice it, that it comes across like an obnoxious child screaming, 'Look at me!'
... the heart of the story is there, and Zemeckis honors and respects it.
Leaving aside the technology behind Robert Zemeckis' animated A Christmas Carol, this is the most satisfying version of Charles Dickens' oft-told tale in years.
The real nightmare before Christmas - way too scary for the kiddies and not nearly warm enough for audiences of all ages.
November 17, 2009:
Disney's Christmas Wishes Coming True
Robert Zemeckis' "A Christmas Carol" has divided critics, but Disney was hoping for a holiday movie with long theatrical legs -- and so far, the studio couldn't be happier. More...
November 08, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Christmas Carol Tops, Precious Rocks
This weekend Moviegoers powered Jim Carrey's holiday kidpic A Christmas Carol to a number one opening but some fans remained stingy preventing the Disney 3D toon from meeting... More...
November 05, 2009:
Critics Consensus: A Christmas Carol Dazzles But Disappoints
This week at the movies, we've got some modern-day Dickens (Disney's A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman); a button-pushing thriller (The Box, starring... More...
November 04, 2009:
Ho-ho-horror! 10 Scary Christmas Movies
This week's eerie mo-cap rendering of the ghostly, dark Dickens morality tale 'A Christmas Carol' from director Robert Zemeckis is far from being the only yuletide movie where... More...
Check out PopEater's collection of childhood photos of celebs, from Tom Cruise to Kim Kardashian.
TIME's Richard Corliss pores over the Oscar noms for the major awards and offers his take on who will win.
For a different take, the AV Club delves into why awards season is terrible.
Moviefone has put together a list of the actors with the most Razzie noms ever.
Hollywood.com makes a case for a big screen adaptation of popular game Mass Effect.
Download it from iTunes and get Tomatometer scores straight to your iPhone!
RSS Feeds
Comment
