It’s about time a get to a movie that I don’t actually like, which is odd, seeing as this is one of the more beloved recent Christmas films.  It also stars one of my favorite actors, Tom Hanks, and is directed by Robert Zemeckis, who did such great classics as Back to the Future and Forrest Gump.  Based on a 1985 children’s book written by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is loved by many, but unfortunately disliked by myself.

The book, and movie, both follow a young boy, named simply Hero Boy, who is beginning to feel doubts about the Christmas season, and about the reality of the figure Santa Claus.  Suddenly, on Christmas Eve, a train arrives in the boy’s front yard, and the boy boards it.  It takes him to the North Pole, where he and a few other characters (most notably the conductor) meet the big man of Christmas himself, Santa.

As you could probably tell by the above description, none of the characters in the movie, except Santa, have actual names, and I think that perfectly mirrors how truly bland they are.  The all seem to be written with no soul, and nothing that they do or say conveys any emotion, except maybe the Conductor.  Occasionally (most notably in the song “Hot Chocolate”), the Conductor has a fun line or entertaining moment, but none of the characters ever interested me, which makes the movie a drag to watch.  The lifeless face of the characters, created using (almost) only CGI, doesn’t help to excel their bland emotions, and there lies my biggest difference to those who like the film.

A lot of people, including some that I know personally, seem to only watch this movie because of its special effects.  This film marks the first in a long line of Robert Zemeckis’s films that are in this “all” CGI style, and I personally think they look really ugly and kind-of lazy.  It feels like the creators want the best of both worlds, a realistic-looking drawing that can be imaginative, but also look real.  That creates a lot of tension on the screen, and it turns out to look like a poorly animated video game from the early 2000’s.  If you want to have imagination pop out on screen, animate the movie; if you want the actors to look real, make a real movie.

The rest of the movie is as dull as its characters.  The plot is basic, and the message is common of the Christmas season, remember what is truly important.  If you like the way the movie looks, give it a watch.  But don’t be disappointed by the overall lack of substance.