We’re in that special time of year again. Usually I’m not too huge on Christmas movies, my family has just put on Home Alone on Christmas day since about 2020, but I wanted to try something different to add some much needed variety to the season. The Polar Express is a movie I have fond memories of watching in elementary school while also being one I hadn’t touched since then, so I ended up going with it to hopefully recapture some of my old childhood magic.
Starting off, one of the strongest aspects of the film in my opinion is the mysterious atmosphere that’s maintained throughout. We don’t find out the name of the protagonist nor the other kids barring Billy, we don’t learn much about the conductor, we don’t find out what the deal is with the guy on the roof, and we aren’t even really told what exactly the Polar Express is. Everything feels like how an actual kid would experience these events, and the whole movie has a very child-like, sentimental vibe in general. I know that’s true for most animated kids movies, but this film in particular really nails the specific feeling of doing something completely new and awe-inspiring as a child, which is a feeling I desperately miss now as a stressed college student.
On the animation front… its age definitely shows. The movement is stiff, the characters look weird, the physics are off, the whole enchilada. It falls into the uncanny valley pretty hard due to not having much of a unique style to hide its flaws, even if I think there’s a unique charm to it. On the other hand, the music is amazing. I’ll admit the main motif is repeated just a hint too often, but it still hits insanely hard, and the other tracks are all solid as well.
I ended up having a really good time with this movie. I’ve had quite a stressful year, and the film really brought back the sense of whimsy and awe I used to have towards Christmas that’s been steadily eroding since the pandemic. Was it the best thing ever from a technical perspective? Absolutely not. Was it an unexpectedly emotional and nostalgic experience I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Absolutely.