The Polar Express (2004)

Christmas...it brings to mind hot cocoa by the fire, decorating the house with seasonal decorations and spending quality time with your family. However, a boring film with cheesy lines and over the top Christmas spirit doesn’t sound too appealing does it? Exactly. Polar express sounds like a very long and boring film. Including unaesthetically pleasing scenery, and a very childish plot. Even though it does trail on for a bit, somehow this cheesy children’s film has worked its magic on me and made this Tom Hanks film a real charmer…

It starts off with one young boy who is starting to doubt the existence of Santa. Until Christmas Eve when he is woken to his house shaking and the polar express train has come to pick him up. Along the way to the North Pole to meet Santa, the boy meets some welcoming friends and they stay together and support each other all the way to the North Pole.

Finally, after a long night that seems like days, the polar express grinds to a steady halt, and after the excited but tired children find themselves seeing Santa, getting ready to leave the North Pole to deliver presents to children. The boy who doubted Santa’s existence talks to the big man himself. The boy tells Santa what he would like for Christmas and a promise is made that the boy will get it in return for kindly a bell off the sleigh back to Santa. After the sleigh takes off and the clock chimes midnight, the children board the magical polar express and travel home from the winter wonderland. Its Christmas morning and the boy wakes up to find his living room bursting with brightness off the presents one of them including Santa’s bell off the sleigh…

This heart-warming tale put a smile on my face! Polar express definitely proved me wrong by thinking it was cheesy and a waste of time, and by thinking it was going to be like Nativity 2 or the Grinch again! The impressive animation is sure the blow your stockings off the mantelpiece! I definitely recommend this touching Christmas film to everyone and I rate it four out of five stars! It’s a miracle I enjoyed it so much, a Christmas miracle!