Rating: G
Starring: (the voice of) Tom Hanks
For the past few years, ABC Family has run a “25 Days Until Christmas” promo, highlighting several different holiday films between December 1st and the 25th. While some are definitely high on the cheese factor (and no one loves cheesy holiday movies more than me) ABC Family is also offering some really good movies this year. One in particular is “The Polar Express”.
“The Polar Express” is based on the book by Chris Van Allsburgh, who also penned “Jumanji” and “Zathura.” It is the story of a young boy who begins to doubt the existence of Santa Claus. But, at about five minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve, he is surprised to hear the rumbling of a train and rushes downstairs and outside to see a huge black train pulling up in front of his house (in the middle of the street). It is The Polar Express. The young boy asks where the train is going, and the conductor replies, “It doesn’t matter where the train is going. What matters is deciding to get on.” He then tells the boy its destination is the North Pole. Still doubting, but unable to resist, he steps on the train and begins an incredible journey of magic. The train makes a few more stops picking up a young African-American girl, another “know-it-all” boy and another young, poor boy who is at first sullen and unbelieving, but soon cannot resist the magic of the train and its destination.
The journey to the North Pole is at times perilous and exciting. The young hero meets a mysterious hobo living on the top of the train. He and his other young friends get separated from everyone else and find themselves deep within the elves’ chambers at the North Pole and have an incredible series of adventures. The animation is astounding and I only wish that I’d had the chance to see it on the big screen. But, nevertheless, the story is what is important, and realizing that no matter how old you are, you simply only need to believe.
This is a great family movie. Younger children might be a bit bored in the beginning, but will soon be captivated as the train begins its sometimes roller coaster journey north. You can see this movie on ABC Family as part of their 25 Days of Christmas promotion. It will air on December 14th at 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. as well as Christmas Day at 8:00 p.m.