Parents' Guide to The Polar Express

Movie G 2004 92 minutes
The Polar Express movie poster: A dramatic scene of a huge train next to a small boy on a snowy night

Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 6+

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

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 6+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Polar Express Trailer
  • The Polar Express movie: Three kids and Conductor, along with a huge crowd, look at Santa and his reindeer
  • The Polar Express movie: The Polar Express pulls up next to a boy on a snowy night
  • The Polar Express movie: A young boy stands outside his front doorstep at night

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 67 parent reviews

Parents say the movie is generally not suitable for young children due to its dark themes, creepy animation, and focus on questioning the existence of Santa, which many found distressing. While some families enjoyed it as a holiday classic, numerous reviews highlight that its unsettling elements and intense scenes can frighten sensitive viewers, making it a poor choice for those still believing in Santa.

  • creepy animation
  • dark themes
  • unsuitable for children
  • questioning Santa
  • intense scenes
  • mixed family reception
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age 5+

Based on 95 kid reviews

Kids say the movie is a mixed bag; while some appreciate its magical themes and family-friendly messages, many criticize its unsettling animation, dark imagery, and perceived glorification of creepy elements like kidnapping and violence. Despite the frightening aspects that might deter younger viewers, it remains a nostalgic favorite for many families during the holiday season.

  • mixed reviews
  • unsettling animation
  • family-friendly messages
  • dark imagery
  • nostalgic favorite
  • Christmas spirit
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What's the Story?

In THE POLAR EXPRESS, Hero Boy (voiced by Daryl Sabara and Tom Hanks), lies awake on Christmas Eve afraid that he won't hear from Santa, whose existence he's beginning to question. Then he suddenly hears a sound and runs outside to see an enormous locomotive pull up in front of his house; the Conductor (also Hanks) invites him to board. The train is bound for the North Pole, and Hero Boy 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?

Our review:
Parents say ( 67 ):
Kids say ( 95 ):

Director Robert Zemeckis has done a good job of maintaining the integrity of Chris Van Allsburg's brief book in its expansion to feature length. The complications of the journey are well-paced and consistent with The Polar Express' themes, though some supporting characters, such as the smug Know-It-All (Eddie Deezen), aren't especially likable. The movie becomes less successful after the arrival at the North Pole, when the extra material 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.

The animators have done their best to preserve the look of Van Allsburg's lovely illustrations. The result is attractive enough, if coarser and less graceful. There are moments of great beauty, especially the woozy ride as viewers 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, and Santa's huge workshops with viewing screens for naughty-nice monitoring and pneumatic tubes for transporting toys. Despite its uneven final stretch, the film's vivid imagination and festive spirit make it a memorable addition to the holiday canon.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Polar Express' portrayal of Santa and the Christmas spirit. Do you relate to characters who have mixed feelings about the holiday? What are your own experiences with Christmas?

  • What are the lessons punched into the tickets that are given to the children? Why are they the right ones for that particular child?

  • When the Conductor says, "Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see," what is he talking about? Why can't some people hear the bell? Who is the mysterious villain, and why is he there?

  • How do the characters demonstrate courage and curiosity? Why are these important strengths?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The Polar Express movie poster: A dramatic scene of a huge train next to a small boy on a snowy night

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