Rate this Movie 
The Polar Express (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:185
Fresh:104
Rotten:81
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: Though the movie is visually stunning overall, the animation for the human characters isn't lifelike enough, and the story is padded.
Theatrical Release:Nov 10, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $1,702,505
Synopsis: Director Robert Zemeckis revolutionized the art of animated film in 1998's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT by dropping cartoon characters into the same frame with flesh-and-blood actors. In THE POLAR... [More]
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Peter Scolari, Nona Gaye
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for The Polar Express
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 C- |
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. Full Review |
||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
 4/5 |
Click to read the article Full Review |
||
|
|
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. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
Cynics will sneeze in shock; children, young and old, will cuddle up and dream along. Full Review |
||
|
|
As a complete package, Zemeckis’ surreal, hallucinogenic adventure is pretty inconsequential. Full Review |
||
|
C- |
More like Night of the Living Dead. Full Review |
||
|
3.5/4 |
The animation looks like an oil painting come to life and the overall viewing experience is awe inspiring. Full Review |
||
|
7/10 |
...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. Full Review |
||
|
C |
Unfortunately, Zemeckis has allowed his technical-savvy, circus-like movie to lose touch with its human charcaters, resulting in a cold and distanced animation. Full Review |
||
|
1/5 |
How many kids do you know who would find comfort in a homeless ghost who drinks his own sock juice? Full Review |
||
|
4.5/5 |
...the IMAX Corporation would do well to have this available every year in 3D. They have finally come upon their staple film. Full Review |
||
|
2.5/5 |
The Polar Express seems overly concerned with aping real life instead of creating its own universe. Full Review |
||
|
A- |
People will be polarized by this well-oiled machine of a family holiday vehicle. Full Review |
||
|
|
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. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
Despite some technical pizzazz, this flick ends up leaving viewers as cold as the North Pole itself. Full Review |
||
|
Click to read the article Full Review |
|||
|
A |
A warm fuzzy for the holidays Full Review |
||
|
68/100 |
Sure, it's overly saccharine and desperately overblown, and the film loses momentum well before the end, but it's hard not to get into the spirit and enjoy it. Full Review |
1 CommentLatest News for The Polar Express
May 19, 2009:
Cannes 2009: Carrey and co. Present A Christmas Carol
Big, fat flakes of white snow suddenly began tumbling down in the roasting afternoon heat of the Cannes Film Festival yesterday. It wasn't global warming. It was just Cannes.... More...
November 15, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Beowulf Set To Conquer Multiplexes
One animated film will bump another from the number one spot at the North American box office. But the new warrior Beowulf is no B movie but an A-list production from an... More...
August 23, 2007:
One Justice League of America Rumor Cleared Up, Another Started
Forget The Dark Knight and Iron Man -- the big comic-book adaptation everyone's talking about this week is Justice League of America, the superhero extravaganza that's... More...
July 31, 2007:
Sony Planning Three More Motion Capture Flicks
You know that fancy "motion capture animation" technique that's been employed in The Polar Express, Monster House, and the upcoming Beowulf? Looks like Sony Imageworks is... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.
TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.
Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.
AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.
Promos
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
IGN RSS Feeds