The Polar Express
“This holiday season... believe.”
6.7
2004
1h 40m
Animation
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
About
When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
Trailer
Cast
Tom Hanks
Hero Boy / Father / Conductor / Hobo / Scrooge / Santa Claus
Leslie Zemeckis
Sister Sarah / Mother
Eddie Deezen
Know-It-All
Nona Gaye
Hero Girl (voice)
Peter Scolari
Billy - Lonely Boy
Michael Jeter
Smokey / Steamer
Josh Hutcherson
Hero Boy (motion capture)
Daryl Sabara
Hero Boy (voice)
Jimmy Bennett
Lonely Boy (voice)
Tinashe
Hero Girl (motion capture)
Brendan King
Pastry Chef
Andy Pellick
Pastry Chef
Tom Hanks
Hero Boy / Father / Conductor / Hobo / Scrooge / Santa Claus
Leslie Zemeckis
Sister Sarah / Mother
Eddie Deezen
Know-It-All
Nona Gaye
Hero Girl (voice)
Peter Scolari
Billy - Lonely Boy
Michael Jeter
Smokey / Steamer
Josh Hutcherson
Hero Boy (motion capture)
Daryl Sabara
Hero Boy (voice)
Jimmy Bennett
Lonely Boy (voice)
Tinashe
Hero Girl (motion capture)
Brendan King
Pastry Chef
Andy Pellick
Pastry Chef
Reviews
Wuchak
***Some kids with creepy dead eyes take a dreamlike trip to the North Pole on The Polar Express*** A boy from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is at the age where he no longer believes in Christmas, as far as Santa, his elves and flying reindeer go, but a magical train appears in front of his home on Christmas Eve and whisks him away on an adventurous trip to the North Pole with several other kids. “The Polar Express” (2004) was based on the 1985 Christmas book and was the first mainline movie to use motion capture animation for all its characters beginning to end (think Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy). Some people think the animation is weak, but I feel it creates its own world and has its own charm. It holds up as long as you can adapt to those creepy dead eyes of the characters. Some people love this movie while others think it’s weird, like a Twilight Zone Christmas flick. Roger Ebert, for instance, loved it and gave it a perfect grade. I’m sorta in the middle. I see its good points and appreciate them, like the haunting winter ambiance, parts of the trip to the North Pole (e.g. the quasi-rollercoaster ride) and the kids’ investigation of the Christmas factory. But there are some meh parts and dubious sections like the whole last act with the multitude of elves and the towering Santa who looked like he was modeled after 6’5” Christopher Lee with a pillow strapped to his mid-section. The movie’s interesting in some ways but also quaint in a cheesy way, as well as peculiar and lifeless. The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes. GRADE: C
Read full reviewPeter89Spencer
No matter how many times I watch this, it always brought me to tears! I only wish that I got to see it in 3D at the cinema.
Read full reviewPeter McGinn
Watching The Polar Express is not an annual event for me, but I believe I have seen it three times and would not nix the idea if someone were to suggest watching it again. I feel a connection to it for an odd reason: my wife and I volunteered one Christmas season to be elves serving cocoa and dancing for an actual Polar Express narrow gauge train ride when we lived in Maine. (Though I can assure you our dancing was not as acrobatic as what you see in this movie.) The animation feels a little odd at first, but I stop noticing it each time I watch it. The story turns the train trip to the North Pole into a real thrill ride for the children on board, especially for our hero boy, voiced by Tom Hanks. In fact, if you are a Hanks fan, settle in, because he does multiple voices here, including one that sounds remarkably like Gilbert Godfrey to me. I try to avoid punching holes in the plots of Christmas movies. Half the point is that they will include unlikely events all leading to the miracle of Christmas ending. You want logic; pull out the old algebra textbook!
Read full reviewClips(7)
The Spirit of Christmas
"ALL ABOARD!" Scene
Hot Chocolate!
When Christmas Comes
4K Full Movie Preview
10 Minute Preview
Sing-A-Long with Elvin the Warner Bros. Elf
The Spirit of Christmas
"ALL ABOARD!" Scene
Hot Chocolate!
When Christmas Comes
4K Full Movie Preview
10 Minute Preview
Sing-A-Long with Elvin the Warner Bros. Elf
Featurettes(1)
Chex Holiday Recipe - Hot Chocolate
Chex Holiday Recipe - Hot Chocolate
Behind the Scenes(1)
Behind The Scenes with Tom Hanks
Behind The Scenes with Tom Hanks