The Polar Express is a 2004 computer animated fantasy Christmas film based on the children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The film features human characters using live action movements of the live actors into three dimensional animations. The film stars Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, who plays six distinct roles including the conductor, Daryl Sabarawho plays Hero Boy, and Nona Gaye, daughter of the late legend R&B soul singer Marvin Gaye.
The film is about a young boy on Christmas Eve who questions his belief in Santa Claus. He is awaken by a train called the Polar Express that stops in front of his house, where the conductor informs him that they are heading to the North Pole. He at first refuses to board the train but eventually gets onboard. While riding on the train he encounters a young girl who truly believes in Christmas, a know-it-all boy and another young boy named Billy who also questions his belief in Christmas. While on this magical adventure to reach the North Pole hegoes through a heck of ride by meeting a strange hobo on top of train who is to believed to be his guardian angel and finding and losing a special golden ticket.
When they reach North Pole, the three kids get lost from the group and have to eventually find their way back to see Santa Claus. When they get back to the ceremony, Hero Boy doesn’t see or hear Santa Claus because he does not believe, but when he sees one of the sleigh bells fall off and stop at his footsteps he begins to believe in the true meaning of Christmas. Santa gives him the bell as first gift of Christmas. In the end of the movie, they get on the train get their golden ticket punched again; each of their ticket a word is spelled out on what they have improved. The Hero Boy loses the silver bell on Santa’s sleigh but gets it back on Christmas morning. At the end of the movie he narrator recites the final book line: “At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell 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.”
The Polar Express in IMAX 3-D version is the best way to see this fan-favorite holiday movie. This film is personally my favorite Christmas movie to watch around the holidays so I already knew that the film was already a great movie, but watching it in IMAX made it truly amazing. While watching the movie I felt like I was in the movie riding on the magical train. My personal favorite thing about watching it was feeling connected to scenes of with dancing hot chocolates waiters and when the train was gliding on an icy cold river. The movie was filled with action-packed scenes with intense dramatic points backing up the film’s story plot. The movie really shows you true meaning of Christmas spirit and why it so important to believe in the most impossible things in life.
