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—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
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The Polar Express (2004)

tomatometer

56

Average Rating: 6.4/10
Reviews Counted: 188
Fresh: 106 | Rotten: 82

Though the movie is visually stunning overall, the animation for the human characters isn't lifelike enough, and the story is padded.

55

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 42
Fresh: 23 | Rotten: 19

Though the movie is visually stunning overall, the animation for the human characters isn't lifelike enough, and the story is padded.

audience

65

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 213,841

My Rating

Movie Info

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on children's author Chris Van Allsburg's modern holiday classic of the same name, The Polar Express revolves around Billy (Hayden McFarland), who longs to believe in Santa Claus but finds it quite difficult to do so, what with his family's dogged insistence that all of it, from the North Pole, to the elves, to the man himself, is all just a myth. This all changes, however, on Christmas Eve, when a mysterious train visits Billy in the middle of the night,

Nov 22, 2005

$0.5M

Warner Bros. Pictures - Official Site External Icon

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All Critics (196) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (110) | Rotten (83) | DVD (28)

As a complete package, Zemeckis' surreal, hallucinogenic adventure is pretty inconsequential.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
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Strap yourself in and try not to vomit, because this is more of a theme-park event than a movie -- Pirates of the Caribbean in reverse, a wild ride stripped of its story, down to a rattling series of obvious, underwhelming effects.

January 16, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Magazine | Comments (2)
New York Magazine
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A failed and lifeless experiment in which everything goes wrong.

December 10, 2004 | Comment (1)
Rolling Stone
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A truly satisfying holiday picture, the kind everyone can enjoy, and which may even restore a little lost childhood in many adult viewers.

November 12, 2004 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment (1)
Washington Post
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Without a trace of real live people, you get special effects that are not special, visual talking points without personality, virtual reality that is anything but real.

November 11, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Observer
New York Observer
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Faithful to its source but stretches it to the snapping point.

November 11, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
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The best kids' holiday movie in years.

December 28, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

Even when you look past the unnecessary dangers that the dehumanized child characters in "The Polar Express" experience, you're left with a hammered-home theme that says you must believe in a lie to be satisfied on a personal level.

April 19, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | Comments (4)
ColeSmithey.com

...an enchanting movie for children, and it even began to grow on this cranky adult after the third or fourth viewing. (3-D/2-D Blu-ray Edition)

November 2, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

A CGI marvel, but the characters are about as warm as the setting.

January 25, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

Nearly as much a movie advocating a belief in Santa Claus as a belief in the real existence of CGI animated characters, the film is at once mystifying and uninvolving.

March 23, 2007 Full Review
Long Island Press

Cynics will sneeze in shock; children, young and old, will cuddle up and dream along.

April 1, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine

More like Night of the Living Dead.

December 25, 2005 | Comment (1)
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

The animation looks like an oil painting come to life and the overall viewing experience is awe inspiring.

December 2, 2005 Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal

...might better be called The Bipolar Express, with so much that is sweet and light on the one hand and so much that is tiring and humdrum on the other.

November 8, 2005 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment (1)
Movie Metropolis

Audience Reviews for The Polar Express

Creepy, cringe-worthy, and overall difficult to watch, this animated film delivers little to no holiday cheer and accomplishes nothing.
November 26, 2012
Matthew Samuel Mirliani

Super Reviewer

The Polar Express is unlike modern christmas films like Elf and Home Alone. It is a truly heartwarming piece of christmas magic. The only place this film falls is the animation that didn't look lifelike enough but other than that it is a tribute to the classic christmas films that really felt like a piece of the season. There is extremely deep development into these excited christmas children. I must object to the people who say The Polar Express is "unrealistic" because the children characters have their own developed personality in the film and all of them are much much like kids in reality all year round. Wouldn't you agree? As you may know, Tom Hanks does a lot of voice roles in this but it's as if he's only there playing the steam train's conductor with his normal voice that is easily recognisable anyway. Thats good voice acting talent there. The Polar Express is wild, fun, spooky and down to earth charming christmas entertainment.
November 4, 2011
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

    1. Conductor: Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.
    – Submitted by Andrew M (5 months ago)
    1. Hero Boy: At one time most of my friends could hear the bell. But as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found, one Christmas, that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me... as it does for all who truly believe.
    – Submitted by Dann M (17 months ago)
    1. Conductor: One thing about trains: It doesn't matter where they're goin'. What matters is deciding to get on.
    – Submitted by Dann M (17 months ago)
    1. Santa Claus: This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas, as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.
    – Submitted by Dann M (17 months ago)

Discussion Forum

Topic Last Post Replies
The Polar Express- Critic's Reviews 2 months ago 1

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Foreign Titles

  • Der Polarexpress (DE)
  • The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience (UK)
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