The Polar Express (2004)

So The Polar Express.

Its a 2 year old decade movie by famous Hollywood director Robert Zemeckis.

Animated in movies in 2004 is an enjoyable period, we get masterpieces like Shrek 2, SpongeBob movie and The Incredibles. We also got movies like Shark Tale or Spookly the Square Pumpkin which is ironically enjoyable and not boring. Which I happened to review most of them (expect The Incredibles) but today's review is a movie that serriously need an reward by the Oscars had to make room for Shark Tale.

(Its the meme where the guy reward a guy medal but it was the same person, that happens to be Will Oscar Smith Fish. It is also the bro tries to fit in meme which the rewards is Shrek 2 and The Inredibles but Shark Tale, just saying).

Its a movie that I feel deserved way more love then it gets. The internet mostly just said its boring or "Uncanny Humans: The movie", even the critics don't give a dam. I'm surprised I never thought it was bad, ever.

So today, I want you to hear me out, stick with me and maybe you'll (lean or) learn a lesson in this review (or you could say essay).

I feel like its a bit overlooked in the Animated commuinty (yes we adult people exist) and giving it a re-watch. Also by the way its my opinion, you disagreed too bad (stick my tongue out)!

(That was a joke, don't take it personally)

So without a further-a-do All-aboard!:

How it was made: Before I even get to the plot, what if I told this movie is based on a book in 1985 with the same name, it was written and illustrated by Chris Van Alberg and the train you saw on screen is a real life train (I'll get to that part) and Chris used to watches the football game which is in Michigan State is the exact home of The Polar Express. It was he's inspiration what created the storyline.

In the 90s famous actor Tom Hanks, after reading The Polar Express to his 4 kids he was interested of adpating the book, Chris was reluctant to sell his rights in 1999 but after knowing Hanks wants it, he quickly give the rights and Tom Hanks close friend Robert Zemeckis was thrilled and become the director in 2002. They are going for an live action movie as Chris says but Robert thought it would cost the budget too much.

So they head back to the drawing board and Robert did the unthinkable. He decided to used motion capture technology, Tom Hanks originated to play every character which he did want to play as Conductor and Santa (including Hobo and Hero Boy's dad) but Robert thought it would be exhausing. So actors like Daryl Sabara voiced Hero Boy (which I thought as a child was name Arthur for some reason but I guess Arthur Christmas).

In Novemember 2004 The Polar Express was release in cinemas, it was a box office success (made $318 million) and it did got nominated for best sound, editing and original song in the 77th Academy Awards. So hey at least it did got recognition.

Animation: This is the part where the people are going to say some "Creepy Uncanny Humans!". Which yeah there are models that look creepy at points but I don't think people take a serious fair perspective on it. It was the first Motion Capture movie (if you don't what it is, its when actors/actress where a green screen suit and marks on the face to capture the emtion. Every movement was transported to the computer. Its kind of like VR head set but for animations) and was very unique at the time.

On the plus side not everything is creepy, I actually like the character designs. They are a bit cartoony but has realistic movements. Their designs perfectly tell the audiences who they are with on small detail. I really love Santa (which I'll talk about later), I love he is very glowly making him the friendly figure.

But the worst I could say is the elves, I get they are surposed to be cartoony (particularly the ones with moustaches is extremely goofy for my liking) and reminds me of trolls from Lord of the Rings.

I notice when we saw the elves at the first screen on nof them is not even moving and has their arms are not moving (its on the far back and near to the Polar Express but search up on Youtbe if you can't find it) and they re-used the same animations and that the female elves are the exact same but honestly considering there are so many of elves is a bit of a nip pick. They are only there to surve a small role to the plot.

The animation itself is (mostly) incredible, to the details and texture. To everything!

I adore it, the houes where Hero boy lives feel sighten and feels like a quiet town contrast to the North Pole feels alive and very colourful. Its exactly what we would imagine the North Polar would look like, big but cheerful.

I also adore the way the camera moves, like when an object the camera focus on the object movements. It gives a sense of dynamic and you never see that to other Christmas movies. It shows how much animation can utilize movements. There are so many shots that is ironic and you paused the movie and looks beautiful. I said mostly great because there are parts where they forgot some details like after Hero boy go on the train where the foot steps go? Where is it! But again they must have forgot that detail and its a very minor nip pick and it doesn't matter to the movie. Check out GWR Studios video on goofys/mistakes The Polar Express and he may not be around unfortunately.

The train itself: I had to talk about the part, The Polar Express is incredible. They made The Polar Express move like a train, steam like a train and feel so real, so grounded. it feels like it has weight to it and I adore they used the camera. They imposed it as a fire rapid, giant beauty with the black colouring.

I should inform that it is based on a real life train as I said ago. Come on, do you know what can of train this is! Well actually it was built in 1941 December 6th, the world meet number 1225. It was used to pull wartime frieght and in 1951 it was withdrawned and send to scrap. But the good news it survived and was a gift in the University of Michigan and it turns out the Chairman (Cyrus Eaton) Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad didn't have the heart to scrap it. So he opened an Railroad club, so in November 1985 after so much hard of restoring the beauty to its formal glory.

So now you know (I'm the real know it all).

The Soundtrack: Honestly I'm make this a long story short because people have talk so many times but the music is beautiful. I love every music and it perfectly conveys to the audience of it.

Plot/story: Even just right the corner, the title "The Polar Express" comes in with beautiful music and the narrator comes in.

Narrator:"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breath slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound I was afriad I'd never hear: The ringing bells of Santa's Sleigh."

At first it might seem unnessary but in context its a neat detail since this is based on a book and we hear him again at the very end. So the narrator doesn't over stays its welcome and it makes sense because this is a relection on Hero Boy.

So Hero Boy thought there was a bells, so he check out side, Santa is not there, he check the Christmas tree and the plate and Santa is not there. All done with no dialouge and this give us a good hint of Hero boys character of curiousity of Santa.

But it turns out Santa was his dad and sister so he went back to bed.

Sister:" But he said Santa would have to fly faster then the speed of light to get everyone's house in one night and to hold everyone's presents. So he's sled would have to be bigger han an ocean liner!"

Dad:" What, your brother said that? He was just kidding you. He knows there's a Santa."

Sister:"He said he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if Santa was for real."

Dad:"Of course Santa's for real. He's real as Christmas itself."

So Hero Boy decided to grab some books about Santa, by the way that book when the kid pull of Santa's beard says "Herpolsheimer's", you might think its made up but its once a real store in Grand Rapid Michigan and the magazine of the kid holding the Santa is a ral magazine but the parts are altered. I notice this magazine says its from 1956 29 December, so this just means this taking place in 1957 I guess is the year where 1225 was scrapped but got save by The North Pole, that was just my personal head canon.

So after reading the book he's parents comes in and he went back to sleep.

Dad:" He's got to be asleep by now."

Mom:" He used to stay wake all night, waiting for Santa."

Dad:" I think those days are just about over."

Mom:"Oh, that would be sad if that were true."

Dad:" Yeah, an end of the magic."

Mom:"Merry Christmas sweetheart."

Dad:"See? He's out like a light. An express train wouldn't wake him up now."

Then there was a tick tock sound, the movie is weridly associated with time, I guess that could be a Back to the future referrence but I digress.

Then a huge rumble come across and Hero Boy went out to see what's going on; (6min) hey! There's the movie poster! But as Hero walk up to the conductor.

He says this iconic line:

Conductor:"Why, to the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express!"

Actually can I talk about the performance of these actors/actress because if you didn't know about me I'm not use to the adults voicing children in genral its pretty creepy but not here this time, they all sound like child and its not oo noticeable and the performances are all brilliant besides Tom Hanks.

Hero Boy was first conflicted about going to the North Pole, the Conductor tells him he has no photos of Santa or letter. So he ask Hero Boy to come on board. But Hero Boy decided to climb on board with the other children, he first meet Hero Girl (side note I original call her black but I realised that sounds wrong so I'm refering her as Hero girl for now on, sorry I had to say it but that's us humans we made mistakes).

I should also mention that Tom Hanks voice five characters (Narrator, Conductor, Hobo, Dad and Santa) and I adore the way he deliver and protrayed them. They all sound different and it doesn't feel like he is played the same character and all sound distictive enough to make them their own character.

Also note the kids is singing about the Polar Express song, I wonder where did they get that from?

Then we get the greatest character knwon to man, Nerd aka Leonard! I don't know what it is the fact he is the know it all guy and the definition of NERD!

Nerd:"Yeah, you know what kind of train this is?"

Hero Boy:" Huh?"

Nerd:"Train! Do you know what kind of train this is, do ya?"

Hero boy:"Uh..."

Hero Girl:" Of course, its a magic train. Where going to the North Pole."

What I liked about this scene is that there is no naughty children here, yes at parts they act naive by they aren't bad people. I feel like the Nerd is more friendly then you think because he was the one who introduced him and i love how Hero Girl and Nerd bounce off of their chemistry. The Nerd is not a bad person, he is just the guy who can't keep their trap shut.

Also this line:

Nerd:"Actually, its a Baldwin 2-8-4 S3 class steam locomotive, built in 1931 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works."

WRONG! Well actually its an N-1 class, built in 1941 and its built from Lima Locomotive Works its never built by Baldwin. Nice try, but for real I think that is a cleaver scene showing that he is wrong and he's character arc is simply learning.

So the train past by Herpolsheimer's and Hero boy look at Santa with the gear and shakes he's head. I know I'm talking a lot but there is so much cleaver details I never notice and it makes this movie feel way more alive with these small details. This also a cleaver scene showing Hero Boy's disbelief on Santa. Conductor asked Hero Boy to punch he's ticket and it magically appears (keep in mind the magic aspect of the movie). So the last stop was this kid (I'm naming him Billy because the movie later know he's name) but hew decided not to come, until he did but trips over so Hero Boy stops the train.

I really like that scene because it shows that he's a good person, he's not telling everyone else what he believe its that he doesn't believe the Christmas (which I'll talk later on). The Conductor getsannoyed but finds out about the inconvenience. I love the way the Conductor worded it, he is shown to be a very wordy person because he is on a tight schedule but you can't blame him because he is doing and real Conductor would react to that.

Of course the Hot Chocolate scene, its the most filler(ish) but I don't care its very charming and reminds me of the pirates from the Spongebob movie and again they have a very small role. I should remind you we are at 17mins and yet this movie is paced like fine, wine.

Nerd:"You know, Montezuma, the King of the Aztecs, would bring 50 quarts of hot chocolate every day."

Hero Girl save a hot chocolate for Billy and come with Conductor but Hero Boy leave her ticket behind and went out side but ended up losing it. I don't think he is being an idiot, it makes logical sense because he's a child and again children are very naive. This give more layers to he's character but the ticket scene is the weakest for me. It is super convenient and that's the movie is going for but come on that is scene is ridiculous and I notice that the Polar Express is pulling 6 coaches but in other scenes its pulling like 20! I'm sorry its a detail that really bothered but again that's a minor nip pick.

So Conductor takes Hero Girl with him, Hero Boy manage to find it (in a very stupid way) and jumps over this time. This shows he does care and she is the one who granted him along with Nerd. Hero boy might thinks Nerd is correct by saying Conductor would throw her off the tracks.

But when Hero Boy went up the roof he was meet by Hobo instead. The Hobo just kind of laugh of the idea of Santa and Christmas stuff. Hero Boy brought up to Santa about he's disbelieve but Hobo said:

Hobo:"But you don't want to be bamboozled. You don't want to led down the primose path. You don't want to be conned or duped. Have the wool pulled over your eyes. Hoodwinked. You don't want to be taken for a ride. Railroaded. Seeing is believing. Am I right?"

Hero Boy:"But what about this train?"

Hobo:"What about it?"

Hero Boy:"We're all really going to the North Pole, aren't we?"

Hobo:"Aren't we?"

Hero Boy:"Are you saying that this is all just a...dream?"

Hobo:"You said it,kid! Not me. One other thing, do you believe in ghosts?"

(Hero boy nod he's head saying no)

Hobo:"Interesting."

So the Hobo decided to help Hero Boy but at the end of the train he disappears, Hero Boy feel into the coal bunker and-

Wait a minute, should he have coal dust on him? Whatever so he did find Hero Girl adn the Nerd was WRONG (twice).

As a child I thought Smokey and Steamer was comedy gold. Its not as funny they do make funny slap-stick humour. Anyways Hero Girl tells that small handle was the break but Hero Boy thinks the red switch is the break but he decided to listened to her and stops the train.

Again this shows his not a bad person and at this moment he cares about her because of her friendly nature and presentation. So after getting rid of the caribou, soon there will be trouble Smokey accidently break the gear and the pin went lose.

Smokey and Steamer's reaction:" (gasp) HE'S LOSE!" Also side note when you paused 35:58 there's the Flux Capactior is seen! So The Polar Express can time travel?!

Leonard:"We are going back through time to the first Christmas to get off the naughty list, that's right we are going back through to the first Christmas to get off the naughty list-"

Okay go away Leonard.

We get this ironic scene where the Polar Express lightening speed fast on the rollar coaster, its bizzare and intense. I love it. Also the gag where Smokey eat the pin is (still) comedy, take that back being not as I used to! But anyways the Hobo turns out to be the ghost, to inform you that there was a deleted scene where Smokey and Steamer explain how did Hobo came to be, I'm glad this is not in the final cut because this ruins and slowed the pacing down for me a lot. It also hints the mysterious nature of the Hobo as just being a friednly ghost.

Anyways the iceberg is cracked by one pin but no the entire train, so logic is just thrown out of the window now, oh the indignity.

So we get the ironic "The Drift Express" meme. Okay even without the meme its still a thrilling scene and this line:"What in the name of Mike!"

The Hero Boy finally gives the ticket to Hero Girl. Other then the Polar express bent over like its jelly. The Conductor said that on the first day of work he accidently fell off the train but he didn't not fall off this train. Hero Girl suggest its could be an angel, well I could suggest its the Hobo guy (okay enough with the Film Theory head canons). So they head to the coach inside full of broken toys, I don't iknow that scene is the least important moment of the Polar Express to me but my god that Pennywise looks like its going to bite Hero Boy but I do think the puppets designs are intentionally creepy and the Scrooge puppet is just Hobo being playful. Honestly Hobo just perefectly capture what would Scrooge would really say.

So Hero Boy finds Hero Girl with billy singing about Christmas, I think this suppose to show he is talented and Hero Girl joins in, the Conductor tells the three they are now in the North Pole. So when they came in the North Pole Nerd said this:

Nerd:"Hey what gives, it was 5 minutes coming late four minutes ago."

...

(He knows it too much)

Conductor:"Don't you ever question how the train runs ever again!"

The Conductor saw Billy said this:" No one is required to see Santa."

I think he ment was that its he's choice to see Santa, he isn't trying to be mean or being lazy he's just doing he's work.

So Hero Boy and Girl comes to Billy but Billy can't see the pitcure of Christmas. Hero boy and Girl convince billy to come to Christmas with them but the coach breaks lose (because Hero boy uncouple it) and now the three are now in the train shed. Hero Girl follows the tunnel because she hear a sound, they is dangerous but who cares. They saw the nice and naught list and elves saying that a kid had been naughty.

This has been bothering me ever since I watch it, why are they real humans and not motion capture. Such a strange decision but they ended up finding a present and the present was for Billy. Billy grabs the present because again children are naive people. So they are taking away and the Nerd is somehow in the presents, what. How could he survive in this and after the big star was put back after it has fallen the elves called them stowaways. How do they they are in the presents, beyound me!

The one and only Fanta man, I mean Santa man. After one of the bell fallen off Hero Boy finally now realised he now believes and the bell rings. It caught the attention to Santa and Santa picks Hero Boy as the first gift of Christmas. Hero Boy tells Santa what he wants, he wanted himself because he's character arc is complete and if you already guess it, the theme of this movie is belief.

Santa says Hero Boy has the Christmas Spirit lies in your heart, if you don't understand what he means, he's telling that he has good faith upon him and self-believe if he never had friends he wouldn't able to believe not just in Santa but himself.

I adore this Santa, he is exactly how Christmas magic of speeding the speed of sound and the movie perfectly capture him. So one by one the Conductor tells what they mean by LE for Nerd is lean, I mean learn.

For Billy its depend on, its more about trust worthy, for Hero Girl lead and in fac all of them sums up their character arc. But the ticket and bell Hero Boy has disappeared and lost it. I adore the Nerd is shown to be a kind person by the end of the day and even saying he learnt he's mistakes and even saying Merry Christmas both to Billy and Hero Boy. Billy got the first gift of Christmas showing that everyone derves their happy ending.

Hero Boy:"Thank you."

Conductor:"No. Thank you. One thing about trains: It doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on."

So when Hero Boy gets back home, then wakes up but he's pocket is ripped again but recieved a gift from Santa and says:"Found this on the seat of my sleigh. Better fix that hole in your pocket - Mr. C."

But Hero Boy's parents dosen't hear the bell and end off with the narrator saying on last line:

"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it felt silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

Then the movie ends.

Final Thoughts: What really sticks for me is the theme of believe, I adore the mysterious aspcet of it, so was it really a dream or was it real? It doesn't matter because you can't prove its real its up to you if you believe if its real or not. The ending is beautiful because its a thing what real people view, when you grow older do you still believe in Santa or you just wright it off as a joke? The theme seeing is believing is a child like echo of child like innocences of having a care in the world of things like Santa.

As I grow older I realised that Zemeckis films now I watched them has a common theme of questioning its humanity. If Steven Spielberg is about the horrors and love of humanity then Robert Zemeckis is about questions of our world views that we can full prove it its real.

This is why I think The Polar Express is brillant and forever a timeless Christmas classic. With the love, care the Robert and Hanks brought to us. You can't say the same with other Dr.Susse like look what Universal Studios have done, it treated like scrap and treated their kid audience like idiots.

But here when you read the book and look at the movie, there has been love and being faithful to the book and I can never appreciated more, you can't say the same with most other book adaptations movies. I should mention the music Believe that perfectly sums up the character arc of Hero Boy being a hopeful and calming music.

Conclusion: As you can, I adore this movie and all of those nip picks I said is still forgivable and just mistakes the people haven't notice.

Its not just a movie, its an experience. Its flawed, weird, bizarre, thrilling and beautiful.

Its not just my favoruite Zemeckis movie (even though its not the best but its my favourite), its my favourite Christmas ever.

That movie and book was based on Chris Van Allberg life experince. It just bitter sweet and the Polar Express is kind of simlair to Thomas and Friends because it was based off a book serise that was based on Wilbert Awdry's life experinece. To me, basing on your life in a fantasy twist is humanities' greatest love and tells who you are in an depth meaningful way.

So that's everything I got to say!