Written by Robert Zemeckis And William Broyles Jr.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
The Conductor: "Seeing is believing but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."
A few days ago, this movie turned twenty years old. It's a movie that I've watched in more recent years in the lead up to Christmas. It's a tale all about belief and what happened when a child lost their belief in Christmas.
The child in question being an unnamed boy (Daryl Sabara) who on Christmas Eve found himself invited onto the titular train with a bunch of other kids. Those kids included the know it all (Eddie Deezan), the girl (Nona Gayle) and the lonely Billy (Jimmy Bennett), all of whom have their moments in the movie.
On board the train, there was the officious Conductor (Tom Hanks). He was a stickler for tickets and when the girl lost hers, she almost lost her place on the Polar Express. It took some death defying attempts from the boy to make sure his new friend didn't lose her place.
Of course it wasn't the only problems for them. The train separated, there was a frozen lake setting and it took a while for Billy to feel a part of the group. As for the know it all, he was more interested in showcasing his knowledge about trains for a fair portion of the movie.
The trip to the North Pole though was where the magic really came through with this film. We got to meet Santa Claus (Hanks), children got their presents and the boy's belief in Christmas was certainly renewed.
The kicker of the movie being the plot about no longer hearing bells when you stop believing in Santa Claus. It's a sad but logical conclusion for everyone. Everyone except for one boy of course, who by the end of this movie never lost his regained belief in Christmas.
- Tom Hanks also voiced an adult version of the boy and a Hobo in this movie.
- Although he's referred to as Hero Boy, the main character is actually called Chris according to book sources.
- Standout music: The Polar Express, Spirit Of The Season, Hot Chocolate, When Christmas Comes To Town and Believe.
- Chronology: Set during Christmas Eve and decades later into the boys future.
The Polar Express is a sweet, Christmas movie. It's a lovely movie with a lovely group of characters and a nice look into believing in Christmas for as long as you can. I can see why it's endured so much as a movie.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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