Der Polarexpress

Ein einfaches Thema, aus dem ein 100-minütiges Spielfilm-Fiasko gemacht wurde, das 150 Millionen gekostet hat. Die visuell attraktive Zugfahrt hat sich wenigstens im IMAX gelohnt (wirklich!), aber der Rest… In einem normalen Kino würde ich einschlafen. (15.12.2004)

Maybe I'm being unfair in my assessment of The Polar Express. But I am also not a child anymore, Santa Claus is quite distant to me, and besides, I didn't watch it in a Christmas atmosphere but rather as part of the relaxation of summer holidays. It cannot be denied that for little children and avid fans of digital animation, it will feel like a Christmas present. Director Robert Zemeckis knows exactly what he wants, and the result reflects that. Everything is finished to the smallest detail, whether it's the visuals or the simplicity of the plot, which holds many moral lessons for kids – and it's definitely not just about the existence of Santa Claus. Tom Hanks handled his many voice roles excellently, and that's also one of the reasons why I’m not giving it a lower rating. The real reason I don't rate it any lower, besides Hanks' performance, is the top-notch audiovisual aspect. The aforementioned animation and the dedicated work of the sound engineers, who truly went above and beyond, are also major factors contributing to its quality. It really sounds fantastic; the snow "crunches" exactly as it should and it's simply a joy to listen to. The musical accompaniment by Alan Silvestri is also a delight to listen to, even though here in a children's film Silvestri couldn't resist his usual "booming" passages. But it's true that they fit quite well into those "action" scenes. The Polar Express certainly isn't a bad movie, but it's my subjective opinion that I didn't have as much fun with it as I do with, say, films from Pixar or DreamWorks (the better ones). (08.08.2005)

It’s like that Christmastime Coca-Cola commercial where the trucks carrying the Coke are all lit up. This is identical, but drawn out to a whole hundred minutes. Absolutely no story, one-dimensional characters and it’s not even funny. However, on the other hand I concede that it’s ideal for Christmas morning for young kids; all flashing and colorful like a roller coaster. The only plus point is Zemeckis who at least made good use of “flying camera" (so if you’re going to go see it at the movie theater, it has to be an IMAX), seeing as he found no support either in the screenplay or the actors. P.S. : I can’t get my head round a few of the scenes and I’m trying hard to forget that gay party with thousands of elves. It still sends shivers down my spine. (09.12.2004)

It's a risk of technology-obsessed directors that they occasionally choose that proverbial Cimrman-esque dead end, and Zemeckis has been looking for a way back out of it for three films. Perhaps the most distinctive attribute of The Polar Express is "scary". When a bunch of dead-faced chefs burst into the carriage and start splashing chocolate all over everyone, I believe it was meant to be debauched and funny. I hugged my knees in horror and tried to maintain my sanity, eyes bulging. As for the experience with the then groundbreaking facial-motion-capture technology, there in particular the darker-skinned girl's facial expressions reminded me of the 2011 video game "L.A. Noire", which featured the same technology at the time, only used in favor of an interactive concept. In retrospect, this proves how terribly fast digital technology ages and how much it dehumanizes the overall result. In films with animatronic models, masks, and real sets, there is a certain unwritten contract with the viewer, who likes to be fooled by artificial things when they see the long work of strange hands and original visions behind them. But for most, the digitally created image is really just an abstract process in which you cannot admire the individual technological aspects, but only the whole. Here in the best moments it merely strips the subject of all tangibility and poetry; in the worst moments, it looks like nightmare fuel. (17.06.2021)

I don't like the animation at all because it simply looks weird. Besides, I don't like the story either, which is just too Christmas-friendly and only tries to add a little action, which is a pity because the train definitely offered more space. Zemeckis directed a trilogy of 3D motion capture films and none of them is anything great. I simply don't want to watch these movies. (30.03.2015)

Eine weihnachtliche Geschichte für die ganze Familie, voller zauberhafter Bilder und erstaunlicher Animationen. Es ist kein klassischer Animationsfilm, im Gegenteil, er ist eine Klasse für sich, und ich mag ihn sehr. Ein maßgeschneiderter Film für weihnachtliche Gemütlichkeit. Einer meiner Lieblings-Animationsfilme, der nichts vermasselt. Ich werde ihn mir zu Weihnachten immer wieder ansehen. (20.11.2013)