The Polar Express | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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Why did Polar get such bad reviews? ›

Critics Reviews

Polar is an astonishingly flaccid film, a movie that prioritizes blood splatter and bouncing butts over literally all else, including plot and character development. Content collapsed. If it has any redeeming qualities, it chooses to keep them a secret. Content collapsed.

The animation in The Polar Express has been criticized as creepy, with the characters feeling unsettling and off-putting to many viewers. The movie evokes a nostalgic feeling of Christmas, with its focus on the importance of belief and the magic of the holiday season.

Well, it's because of the animation. The graphics are so life-like, but at the same time, not quite realistic enough, which has given many the creeps. Well this is because of uncanny valley – the notion that the more human-like a non-human character becomes, the more we like it, until it becomes too unsettling.

In the film, one of the passenger cars is briefly transformed into a dining car so the children can get served hot chocolate, but there is not a separate dining car. Unlike in the film, where the children are only served hot chocolate, there are also cakes, muffins, and cookies.

Let's address the elephant in the room: a lot of people hate this movie. The most common complaint is that the animation makes the people look uncanny, and I get it. However, I don't think that's enough to dismiss all the great things about the movie.

The conductor and hobo are two of the paths the hero can take depending on what he chooses to believe after this night. The Polar Express is dark because when one stops believing in childhood imagination, they become older and older until one day, they pass away. Just like the hobo who was a bitter and cold ghost.

Hanks plays five roles in the film including that of a small child (whose voice would later be dubbed in by Daryl Sabara). Initially Zemeckis considered having him play every role, but after trying this, Hanks grew exhausted, and they whittled down the number.

The film's focus on visual spectacle rather than story made it a perfect fit for IMAX, leading to its record-breaking box office gross of $71 million. Despite its IMAX success, The Polar Express was considered a financial failure overall, earning less than its budget at the domestic box office.

The mother is pregnant. The detail only appears for three seconds when the boy is looking through his keyhole to spy on what his sister is saying to their parents. The next morning, spoiler alert, he opens his presents and finds the bell from Santa that only him and his sister could hear.

There's a hidden reference to "Back to the Future" in the newspaper clipping. The Hero Boy keeps these newspaper clippings to prove Santa isn't real. Warner Bros. The boy's collection of papers show why he's come to the conclusion that Santa isn't real.

What's with the Hobo in Polar Express? ›

Hobo – The Hobo is a magical and ghostly character who inhabits the roof of the train and understands the true meaning of Christmas. He plays Devil's Advocate to test the strength of the Hero Boy's skepticism about Santa throughout the film.

The Polar Express has the same problem. The characters are supposed to be human and life-like, but they look off and it creeps a lot of people out. Furthermore, the uncanny valley is more pronounced with motion so when the characters are walking, turning, or shaking their head, it's slightly disturbing.

Later, the Conductor realizes he forgot to punch Hero Girl's ticket, but Hero Girl cannot find it, due to Hero Boy losing it while trying to give it back to her, so he takes her to the back to the train, onto the roof and to the cab of the locomotive.

In the movie, a doubting young boy didn't believe in the spirit of Christmas like everyone else. The Polar Express train saw this as a possibility to change the boy's life to show the true meaning behind this holiday with a train ride to the North Pole.

The Hobo is a supporting character of the 2004 animated film The Polar Express. He is a strange man who lives on top of the Polar Express and rides it whenever he feels like it for free. He does not believe in Santa Claus or Christmas, but his negativity tests Hero Boy's faith.

Its a great movie, even if mad mikkelsen carried the all on his back, literaly, but still was fun, action, love, everithing what we need for a good movie.

But the application of, well, everything is just overwrought on every level, and “Polar” fails miserably. Mikkelsen does his best John Wick impersonation, playing the grumpy, old assassin trying to live a quiet, peaceful life in Montana.

The Polar Express is controversial and “creepy” to some viewers thanks to its animation style, which created a phenomenon known as “Uncanny Valley.” While the filmmakers clearly opted for a more realistic art style, many of The Polar Express' characters look human but not human enough.

In May 2022, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Åkerlund will direct another film adaptation with the title of The Black Kaiser. This film will be a new take of the comics and will be neither be "a sequel or a prequel". Mikkelsen is set to reprise his role as Duncan Vizla as well as assisting Rothwell with the writing.