The Polar Express

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
The Polar Express Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Book-based treat is full of adventure and positive messages.

G 2004 92 minutes
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Parents say

age 6+

Based on 73 reviews

Kids say

age 5+

Based on 95 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, like the book that inspired it, the The Polar Express has wonderful messages about the importance of believing, the value of friendship, respect for leadership and courage, and the beauty of being kind to others. But it's also an adventure, with lots of roller-coaster thrills and some scary characters that might be too intense and frightening for the youngest kids. The Express roars, speeds, and skids on its perilous journey to the North Pole. Sometimes out of control, sometimes racing against dangers and obstacles in its path, it's the center of a tale that's suspenseful throughout. The child heroes are frequently in danger -- from falls, getting lost, being left alone on a careening train, and navigating dark, shadowy places facing characters who may wish them harm. Also worth noting: The story focuses on a boy who doubts whether or not there is a Santa. (According to the movie, yessiree -- but the boy's initial uncertainty could spark questions in some kids.)

Community Reviews

Dale Dietrich
Dale Dietrich Adult
December 7, 2020
age 10+

Really Good Except for Santa Questioning

OK, this is a tricky one. The whole point of the movie is that the main boy questions whether or not Santa exists. And the movie sets out to prove that he does (sort of). But, to my mind, as a parent of kids who still believe, this sets off too many light bulbs. I didn't know there would be SOOO MUCH Santa questioning in it. Plus another boy explains obliquely that Christmas has 'never worked out' for him. The clear inference is, he's a poor kid with parents who couldn't afford to buy him presents. So he never got any from Santa. Then at the end, they more or less say, obliquely, that Santa doesn't exist. Meaning, they say that over time, as people grow up, they pretty much everyone doesn't believe in Santa any more (except the narrator who still does). So, if you want your smart/clever 7 to 9 year old questioning whether Santa exists just before Christmas then this is the movie for you!!! :) On the other hand, for families whose kids know the truth about Santa, this is a first rate movie! It was my first time seeing it. Except for being constantly uncomfortable during the Santa questioning scenes and trying to distract my kids by doing goofy things when those discussions took place, it was a terrific movie. Being a 2004 movie, there is a whole 'uncanny valley' thing happening. The animation is so good it kinda looks real, but then again it doesn't. The conductor looks just like Tom Hanks. But the blank stares in the kids eyes was creepy. They've seemingly sovled that in more modern movies but was still a problem back then. I hope this movie gets an update one day to fix that. So, all that aside, if you can handle the uncanny valley and the constant questioning of the existance of Santa, then this is a first rate, classic Xmas movie that I think most people would enjoy.
5 people found this helpful.
Maria D.
Maria D. Adult
December 22, 2020
age 6+

Too intense

Watched this with my 4 year old twins and they wanted me to turn it off because it was too scary. The conductor yelling, the 'ghost' on the roof, the eerie feeling were just too much. Personally I didn't like the idea of the little boys going on the train with a strange man. Not the kind of message I want my kids to follow. I watched the rest of the movie it has some fun elements, but many intense scenes, so I would not consider it suitable for small or sensitive children.
1 person found this helpful.
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What's the Story?

A boy who is beginning to question Santa lies awake on Christmas Eve afraid he won't hear anything. He hears a sound and runs outside to see an enormous locomotive pull up in front of his house; the conductor invites him to board. The train is bound for the North Pole and our unnamed hero/narrator will have many adventures and find the answer to his questions before he wakes up in his own bed on Christmas morning.

Is It Any Good?

Director Robert Zemeckis has done a fairly good job of maintaining the integrity of the brief story as it is expanded to feature length. The complications of the journey are well-paced and consistent with the story's themes, though the know-it-all character becomes grating very quickly. It is less successful after the arrival at the North Pole, when the expansion starts to feel like filler, particularly when a nice selection of timeless Christmas standards on the soundtrack gives way to a lackluster rock song that brings the story to a standstill for no discernable reason.

The animators have done their best to preserve the look of Chris Van Allsburg's lovely illustrations. The result is attractive, if coarser and less graceful. There are moments of great beauty, especially the vertiginous ride as we watch a golden train ticket carried away by an eagle. And there are wonderfully imaginative images, dancing waiters pouring hot chocolate from silver pots with triple-spouts, Santa's huge workshops with viewing screens for naughty-nice monitoring and pneumatic tubes for transporting toys, and sometimes people.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what they believe about Santa, and also about the Lonely Boy and what they think his real gift was.

  • Families can also talk about each of the lessons punched into the tickets given to the children. Why was each of those lessons the right one for that child? They can talk about the difference between that which can be proven and that which must be believed without proof. When the conductor says, "Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see," what is he talking about?

  • What is a "crucial year?" Why can't some people hear the bell? Who is the hobo and why is he there?

Movie Details

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