Opening

86% Captain Phillips Oct 11
31% Machete Kills Oct 11
—— Haunt Oct 11
41% All the Boys Love Mandy Lane Oct 11
—— Romeo and Juliet Oct 11
67% Escape From Tomorrow Oct 11
—— CBGB Oct 11
—— The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete Oct 11
—— Zero Charisma Oct 11
—— Where the Devil Hides Oct 11

Top Box Office

97% Gravity $55.8M
59% Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 $21.0M
8% Runner Runner $7.7M
81% Prisoners $5.7M
88% Rush $4.5M
82% Don Jon $4.2M
18% Baggage Claim $4.1M
35% Insidious: Chapter 2 $3.9M
63% Pulling Strings $2.5M
95% Enough Said $2.2M
56% Instructions Not Included $1.8M
47% We're The Millers $1.6M
33% The Family $1.5M
73% Lee Daniels' The Butler $1.2M
—— Grace Unplugged $1.0M
78% Metallica Through the Never $0.7M
60% Riddick $0.5M
5% Battle of the Year $0.5M
75% Despicable Me 2 $0.5M
38% Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters $0.4M

Coming Soon

78% Kill Your Darlings Oct 16
—— Carrie Oct 18
—— Escape Plan Oct 18
35% The Fifth Estate Oct 18
97% 12 Years a Slave Oct 18
100% All Is Lost Oct 18
75% Haunter Oct 18
—— Paradise Oct 18

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

tomatometer

74

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Reviews Counted: 145
Fresh: 107 | Rotten: 38

A sort of Avengers for the elementary school set, Rise of the Guardians is wonderfully animated and briskly paced, but it's only so-so in the storytelling department.

63

Average Rating: 6/10
Critic Reviews: 32
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 12

A sort of Avengers for the elementary school set, Rise of the Guardians is wonderfully animated and briskly paced, but it's only so-so in the storytelling department.

audience

81

liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 111,070

My Rating

Movie Info

Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes - each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. -- (C) Official Site

PG,

Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family

Mar 12, 2013

$103.4M

Paramount Studios - Official Site External Icon

Watch It Now

Cast

ADVERTISEMENT

All Critics (145) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (107) | Rotten (38) | DVD (2)

Less-than-compelling storyline.

December 4, 2012 Full Review Source: Richard Roeper.com
Richard Roeper.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Rise of the Guardians is harmless enough, and the lack of easy pop-culture jokes represents the post-Shrek direction of DreamWorks well enough. But this is the studio's least entertaining film.

November 30, 2012 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The conceit has its charms but too much of this movie, directed by Peter Ramsey, is more clamorous than inspired, and little kids might find parts of it too scarily intense.

November 30, 2012 Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor
Top Critic IconTop Critic

'Rise of the Guardians' is an effervescent dose of fantasia that's pretty hard to dislike. Unless, of course, you're a cynical grump.

November 27, 2012 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The script seems to have been written by committee, with members lobbying for each major character, and the action, set in vast environments all over the map, spreads itself so thin that a surfeit of motion vitiates emotion.

November 22, 2012 Full Review Source: Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Too cluttered and manic to bring real pleasure.

November 22, 2012 Full Review Source: NPR
NPR
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Energetic animation and a handful of amusing character touches help, but they can't compensate for the paper-thin story and muddled messages.

July 27, 2013 Full Review Source: Twitch

A beautiful fantasy adventure that might change a few minds about the power and importance of these childhood fantasy characters.

March 21, 2013 Full Review Source: Cinema Sight
Cinema Sight

DreamWorks' newest picture is definitely one for the kids, but director Peter Ramsey makes it fun enough to put a smile on parents' faces.

March 2, 2013 Full Review Source: Tulsa World
Tulsa World

An entertaining experience, whether you see it in 3-D or 2-D, 'Rise of the Guardians' is an enjoyable adventure for all ages.

February 3, 2013 Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

The animation's usually a visual delight. There's enough visual spark and inventiveness to make this animated adventure rise above the Christmas crowd of flicks.

January 29, 2013 Full Review Source: Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

Alas, a sweet heart and a tender message aren't enough to save Rise of the Guardians from its overly sugary ways.

January 12, 2013 Full Review Source: Film and Felt
Film and Felt

Rise of the Guardians delivers a giddy, kinetic excitement as its heroes whoosh and swoop through the air, or glide and skitter on ice.

January 10, 2013 Full Review Source: Movie Talk
Movie Talk

In one of the best, brightest, most beautifully realised and visually sumptuous tentpole animation films of the year...an absolute joy to behold, as lovingly made a piece of corporate entertainment as you're likely to find at the multiplex.

December 26, 2012 Full Review Source: 3AW

One of the best surprises of 2012.

December 23, 2012 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

Delivers an entertaining twist on the fabricated mascots that kids will enjoy.

December 20, 2012 Full Review Source: Flicks.co.nz
Flicks.co.nz

From the wind rustling through Jack Frost's white hair to the panoramic vistas as they fly through the sky, it all looks amazing.

December 15, 2012 Full Review Source: ABC Radio Brisbane
ABC Radio Brisbane

Whatever its agenda might (or might not) be, Rise of the Guardians is a surprisingly rousing tale with a story that resonates easily, if not deeply.

December 14, 2012 Full Review Source: The Mercury
The Mercury

Rise of the Guardians is both reasonably quirky and mildly serious. It wants children to believe there's more to animation than fast food tie-ins.

December 12, 2012 Full Review Source: The Sunday Age

This lovely fantasy has been brought to beautiful 3D life by Peter Ramsey, the visual effects are really something.

December 12, 2012 Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia)
At the Movies (Australia)

The villain begins by kidnapping Tooth's worker fairies: it's never clear how she's so human-sized and they're all fairy-sized and have no voices, or how they're the workers and she's management.

December 8, 2012 Full Review Source: PopMatters
PopMatters

More exhausting than exciting, but there are enough amusing gags to prevent on-the-fence viewers -- and critics -- from going full Scrooge on the final product.

December 7, 2012 Full Review Source: Creative Loafing
Creative Loafing

Youngsters will enjoy the diversion with the film's cute characters and creative visuals although there is a frenetic feel about the action that tends to overwhelm the story on an emotional level. As a result, there is little heart that resonates

December 6, 2012 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile
Urban Cinefile

While the concept is novel - and the animation often dazzling - the story and characterisations soon prove trite, condescending and dull.

December 4, 2012 Full Review Source: Moviedex
Moviedex

An unusual 3D tale about a playful free spirit who is thrilled to become a Guardian who watches over children.

December 4, 2012 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice
Spirituality and Practice

Audience Reviews for Rise of the Guardians

Beautifully done. Stunning visuals. Funny. Enjoyable. Absolutely wonderful!...
June 25, 2013
itsjustme2004

Super Reviewer

Eternal teenager Jack Frost reluctantly joins the legendary Guardians (including Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.) who protect the world's children from the Boogeyman. It has a few issues, and some of the action scenes look like pitches for theme park rides, but any movie that depicts Santa Claus as a tatted-up saber-wielding Cossack with an army of Yetis is at least willing to take chances.
May 11, 2013
366weirdmovies
Greg S

Super Reviewer

    1. Jack Frost: Don't look at me, I'm invisible.
    – Submitted by Eve W (6 months ago)
    1. North: We are too busy bringing joy to children! We do not have time for children.
    – Submitted by Eve W (6 months ago)
    1. Bunnymund: To Christmassey, mate. Paint them blue.
    – Submitted by Eve W (6 months ago)
    1. North aka Santa Claus: You cannot say no, it is destiny.
    – Submitted by Christeane Jannah A (6 months ago)
    1. Pitch: You can't get rid of me! Not forever! There will always be fear.
    – Submitted by Typhon Q (6 months ago)
    1. Bunnymund: Alright, nobody panic.
    2. Jack Frost: But that's a, um, that's a greyhound. Do you know what greyhounds DO to rabbits?
    3. Bunnymund: I think it's a pretty safe bet he's never met a rabbit like me. 6 foot 1, nerves of steel, master of Tai Chi and the ancient art of [Jack sets off an alarm clock, making the dog start to chase him] CRIKEY!
    – Submitted by Sara J (8 months ago)
View all quotes (62)

What's Hot On RT

The Hobbit
The Hobbit

New Desolation of Smaug trailer!

Diana Trailer
Diana Trailer

Naomi Watts is Princess Di

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

The Hangover 3, The Purge, and More

<em>The Nut Job</em>
The Nut Job

Trailer for a squirrely heist flick

Primetime Preview
Primetime Preview

See what's on TV tonight

Latest News on Rise of the Guardians

March 12, 2013:
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Life of Pi and Rise of the Guardians
This week on home video, we've got four new releases that are Certified Fresh, including one...
March 1, 2013:
Digital Multiplex: The Master, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, and More
This weekend in streaming, we've got an Oscar-nominated drama (The Master) and the conclusion to a...
November 27, 2012:
DreamWorks: A Visual History
With Rise of the Guardians opening in cinemas, we take a look back over DreamWorks Animation's first...

Foreign Titles

  • Die Hüter des Lichts (DE)
  • Les Cinq légendes (FR)
Help | About | Jobs | Critics Submission | Press | API | Licensing | Mobile