Polar Express, The - Blu-ray (2004)

Average rating

(71%)

Starring:	Tom Hanks \| Leslie Zemeckis \| Eddie Deezen \| Nona Gaye \| Peter Scolari \| Brenda King
Director:	Robert Zemeckis
Studio:	WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time:	96 mins
Collections:	Blu-ray
Genres:	Animated \| Children \| Family \| Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Languages:	English
Released:	November 26, 2007

Director Robert Zemeckis revolutionised 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 EXPRESS, live action and animation have merged seamlessly, resulting in sparkling super-realism - a landmark technique Zemeckis and his Sony Pictures Imageworks team call Performance Capture. In the story, a disillusioned little boy--just old enough to doubt the existence of Santa Claus--has the adventure of a lifetime one fateful Christmas Eve. Clad in his pyjamas, he climbs aboard a magic train to the North Pole, driven by a kindly train conductor. Among myriad jaw-dropping moments, the train plummets brakeless through crystalline mountains in a simulated roller coaster ride. Going off the rails, skidding sideways, and snaking violently across a frozen lake, the train arrives at the North Pole (a vast, glowing city of brick buildings). At that moment, the car carrying the kids detaches and they're sent tumbling down never-ending chutes and slides until they land in the middle of Santa's Workshop. With its fascinating tale and impressive technical frolics, THE POLAR EXPRESS is destined to become both a holiday classic and a new turning point in the art of animated cinema.

Highest rated reviews

4 out of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 3.0 stars
Weird...but a must see in Blu Ray.

Treadstone from , 12th February, 2008

The Polar Express is a slightly warped and very American tale of Santa Claus. And of course the little boy who doesn't believe. Its all about the 'true' meaning of christmas...yes forget Jesus and his chums...this is what chrimbo is all about! Erm anyway...the animation in this movie is truely special and I would recommend this to anyone who would like to put their new HD set up to the test or to impress. Tom Hanks is superb as usual, the characters are very life-like, if a little scary. But the animation...my goodness. Shame about the rubbish story line, but still amazing to watch.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
Fantastic!

ScottC2105 from from East Midlands, England, 28th January, 2008

Polar Express is a smashing animated film. It has a great story that the whole family can enjoy together and the kids will want to watch it again and again. I have seen this film on DVD and having now seen it in glorious HD on Blu-ray the DVD version just doesn't seem as appealing any more. You can see every hair strand and the detail of the train (Polar Express) is just truly amazing. Be sure to rent this title if you own a PS3/Blu-ray player, you won't regret it. A must rent for the kids!

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
Polar Express just got better!!

nicktoohunty from from blackpool, 7th January, 2008

All our family have been watching the polar express for the past 2 years or so and my kids must have watched it 150 times at least. Its one of the best childrens stories/films around and is a great watch on Christmas Eve. But it was like watching a whole new movie when we saw it in Blu Ray. We already own the DVD now i will have to buy the Blu Ray version as they wont watch it in anything else! Dont tell them but i have just sent it back and still have not bought it! We dont rent anything but Blu Ray now.

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Most recent reviews

Rated 3.0 stars
A good message for Kids...

reedi from , 16th March, 2009

....and adults alike who no longer believe. When I told a friend I had this to watch they said 'oh yes, that's the film with Tom Hanks and the animation/live action mix'.....so judging by the fact it's by the same person who did Who Framed Roger Rabbit I was expecting much the same.....except their is no live action in it, although I can forgive my friends for thinking so because the animation is that good in places I was 50/50 on live action or computer generated...so definately 5 stars for the animation quality. As for the story yes is a bit weird, but the underlining message is pretty good. Definately worth a watch with the kids.....perhaps wait for the time of Chirstmas spirit to kick in though, watching it in March is pretty weird.

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*** May contain spoilers ***

Rated 3.0 stars
American fairy tale

Jeffa from , 7th February, 2009

Atypical American view of Christmas. When i was a kid I was lucky to get what I wished for anyway. Kids get christmas on a plate these days and one of the characters appears to sum up the Americanisation or commercialisation Christmas has come to worldwide. Tom Hanks is the typical American with I believe Polish parenthood. But the story of the film is just that based on the amaerican fairy tale of all things come to those who believe. I have no pretense over what christmas is about and like most british we prefer the Dickens version brought out in Scrooge. The American always attack the subject from the same angle as The film 'Miracle on 34th St. and whilst the storyline is patently more shallow it has that sense of adventure to it that is irresistable to watch. I have the Movie on HD DVD as well so I rented this Blu Ray version out to compare the two for image and sound quality. And I can say quite unresurvedly that the HD version and Blu-Ray version are Identical, even including the extras. The best sequences in this are the 3D effects on the Polar Express and would have achieved a higher status if it was produced in 3D like Journey to the centre of the Earth was recently. Once the ride begins and you have a large screen format TV it is like riding on a rollercoaster without the bumps and bruises to go with it. Well animated sequences are the film's saving grace. You have to give it the old sentimental values you would give to any christmas tale but I was a bit caught out on this one by the expressions on the childrens faces. They were almost angry or doll like which left a lot to desire. The faces were so stiff it looked like they had just come out of an American Ice box. Enough of the cornballing let's get down to basics; The film has good atmospherics and a good start to the story. The train ride is both the most enjoyable and comical part of the film. The ending like all these American tales is as lonwinded as it is nonsensical. I personally like the film but I am not sure how young children will perceive the childrens poorly animated expressions. There was a little of the willy wonka sindrome to the train ticket at one point which was part of the train ride. I call the sequence 'follow the Golden ticket'. Because the version on Blu-Ray is identical to the HD version I have to subtract a mark for duplicity. In fact I would go as far as to say that the HD version was slightly better and if you wanted to buy the disc I would get a cheap HD DVD version if you have an HD DVD player. Not one of Hanks best moments. Zemickis could have improved on the animated characters a bit. It is all very well creating all these characters but unless you give their faces true life expression they are not going to come to life in the film. Hanks on the other hand is easy to animate because the man is a canvas.

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