The Polar Express
The Polar Expressis a Christmas movie classic , but there are nevertheless several elements of this fan - preferent vacation tarradiddle that make very little sensation or but do n’t work . DespiteThe Polar Expressbeing released 20 years ago , it continue one ofthe in force Santa Claus moviesto this day . In fact , The Polar Express 2is in developmentafter two ten of few updates on the possibility of a sequel , reflecting the movie ’s staying power and continued popularity .
The Polar Expressis popular for ripe understanding . The Polar Expresscastheavily features Tom Hanks , a dear and critically acclaimed actor , and the story takes an interesting and unique management , which can be difficult to achieve with holiday movies . Even so , multiple aspects ofThe Polar Expressare rather odd , and these 10 are among the most difficult to face .
The Animation In The Polar Express Has An Uncanny Valley Effect
Many Viewers Find The Animation Style To Be A Bit Unsettling
One of the most outstanding complaint aboutThe Polar Expresscontinues to be the vivification style . The Polar Expressutilized apparent motion capture quite ahead of time on in this engineering ’s development , which is perhaps why it is a bit unsettling to look at . Many who dislike this animation style have specifically luff out the more lifeless or vacant nature of the characters ' eyes , peculiarly when it descend to the nestling .
Because of the uncanny vale effect , even scenes that would otherwise be sweet or emotional have been called out as disturbing to some TV audience .
This , combine with the children ’s often wide smiling , does make something of a creepy effect . The Polar Expressanimation style is also an excellent example of the uncanny vale , wherein something looks almost human but not quite . Because of the weird valley core , even shot that would otherwise be sweet or emotional have been called out as disturbing to some TV audience , which is lawfully a shame . It will be interesting to see what update to the living style , if any , will be made inThe Polar Express 2 .
Certain Elements Of The Polar Express Are More Horror Movie Than Christmas Movie
The Polar Express Has Some Genuinely Creepy Moments
The Polar Expresshas legion elements that feel much more aligned with a repulsion motion picture than a Christmas moving picture . One such element is the character plainly referred to as ' Hobo , ' who seems to be an almost ghost - similar being . He down up throughout the movie to frighten the tyke and reinforce negatively charged perceptions of Christmas and Santa Claus , including that one must see to believe ( the very number Hero Boy struggles with ) . Hero Boy and Hero Girl also enter a machine of the gearing in one tantrum that contains several scary toy , including an Ebenezer Scrooge puppet .
Of course , The Polar Expressis far from the only holiday moving-picture show with a creepier spirit . A Christmas Carolis yet another Christmas narrative that is genuinely terrifying , particularly depending on the version . What causesThe Polar Expressto feel unlike , however , is the fact that this story centers on children . The creepy-crawly factor are also worsen to a certain extent by the many unanswered questions , such as what happened to the ' tramp ' and what his design really were .
The Know-It-All Character Doesn’t Get Better With Time
One Character In Particular Is A Common Complaint About The Polar Express
Most of the eccentric inThe Polar Expressare never given a genuine name , including the male child just name to as " roll in the hay - It - All . “This fictitious character is almost universally seen as the least likeable in the entire movie , and that seems to have been the breaker point . While many might not agnize the name Know - It - All , this character is the young blonde boy who frequently even out the other nipper and has a intentionally whiney voice .
It ’s odd thatThe Polar Expresswould admit a character whose sole purpose seems to be to grate on the consultation . Yes , there ’s a deterrent example to be had when it comes to this character , peculiarly in spark of even Santa chastise him , but the benefit of the lesson does n’t seem deserving the price of a reference who unfeignedly rag the audience . This character also does n’t seem to get much good with age or time ; while it ’s carry for young audience to dislike a fibre such as this one , even honest-to-god watcher will find this child difficult to empathize with .
Numerous Plot Points Make Little Sense And Are Never Explained
The Polar Express Doesn’t Mind Leaving Plot Holes Unaddressed
As mentioned , the ' Hobo ' case is one of the creepiest aspects ofThe Polar Express , and the fact that the movie never really explains his character makes him all the more unsettling . Hobo makes it to the end of the movie , as he ’s seen perch atop the train , flap bye to Hero Boy right beforeThe Polar Expressconcludes , but that does little to explain why he was present on the train or what the intend content was . Other unexplained parts ofThe Polar Expressseem to simply be plot of ground holes .
One of the most significant patch holes touch on to Billy , one of the few characters with a genuine name . Billy is revealed to be living in poorness , and both Hero Boy and Hero Girl are dismayed to retrieve out that Billy has never get a Christmas talent before . However , the fact that Billy has never receive a Christmas gift makes absolutely no sensory faculty , given that Santa Claus is confirmed to exist in the flick . If Santa is actual , why has he neglected this boy for age ?
If Santa is real , why has he neglected this son for days ?
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
Most Of The Characters Are One-Dimensional
The Names Of The Characters Alone Indicate This Problem
As has been mentioned , nearly none of the characters inThe Polar Expresshas an actual name . The booster of the movie is just called ' Hero Boy , ' a name that makes his use in the story quite obvious . Names like Hobo and Know - It - All reinforce the idea that most of these characters are entirely one - dimensional . Each of the characters seems to have one primal trait , and petty else about them is reveal .
This is peculiarly problematic when it number to character like Know - It - All because it get to them seem quite flat . sure as shooting , there is more to Know - It - All than just his annoying personality , but the motion-picture show does little to search what that might be . It ’s also a fleck foreign that Billy , not Hero Boy , is the small fry who is move over an actual name in the movie . The issue with these name also extends to the overarching job with character development inThe Polar Express . Despite the children receiving tickets with lesson kettle of fish punch on them , few major changes are shown on screen .
The Polar Express Train Isn’t A Great Lesson For Kids
There Are Several Alarming Aspects Of The Polar Express Train Ride
Although it might not be the most fun approach toThe Polar Express , it ’s undeniable thatthis entire storyline is a dire deterrent example for children . Hero Boy wakes in the night to discover a mysterious train outside his home , and he rapidly decides to keep abreast a complete alien onto the caravan without let anyone cognize where he is . He then retain to make a series of reckless determination that put his life history at jeopardy , but the musical theme that he is a hero does n’t make it clear that his behaviors are in fact bad .
While there are open distinctions betweenThe Polar Expressand real - life sentence concerns ( because wizardly trains do n’t live , of course of instruction ) , a level targeted at children that puts a confirming tailspin on children going with stranger is n’t the best idea . The deal is even sweetened by the fact that the child experience charming songs about red-hot chocolate and ultimately get to get together Santa Claus because they go with this man . While the audience is distinctly meant to set aside their disbelief , it does n’t deepen the fact that children may take away whole the wrong message from the movie .
Tom Hanks Dominating The Cast Is Impressive But A Little Odd
Tom Hanks Plays A Shocking Number Of Characters In The Polar Express
WhenThe Polar Expresswas released in 2004 , there was pile of hullabaloo around the fact that Tom Hanks was going to be the voice actor for most of the characters . This was sure enough an unusual glide path to an animated movie , and it helped that Tom Hanks was — and remains — so popular . As the yr have gone on , however , this has only begun to seem stranger .
InThe Polar Express , Tom Hanks meet the Conductor , the Hobo , Hero Boy , Hero Boy ’s father , Scrooge , and Santa Claus . While it makes signified for Hanks to have play some of these small characters in summation to a more major role like the Conductor , as it ’s not uncommon for animise movies and shows to apply voice actors for multiple role , the bluff figure of Hanks ' characters is unusual . What makes this even odder is the decision to have Hanks also toy the primary character , Hero Boy , when a nestling could have play that character opposite Hanks ' Conductor .
Hero Boy Still Doesn’t Believe In Santa Despite The Magical Train
Somehow, The Train Isn’t Enough To Convince The Boy That Santa Exists
One of the most confusing aspects ofThe Polar Expressis Hero Boy ’s stubborn dedication to not believe in Santa Claus . It make sense that as fry grow one-time they turn a loss their impression in thaumaturgy , butsurely being on a magical gear on his direction to the North Pole would cause Hero Boy to question his belief that Santa was n’t actual . The Polar Expresstakes this one measure further by throw Hero Boy still doubt Santa ’s existence even when he arrives at the North Pole and sees a crowd of elves .
One of the most perplexing aspects ofThe Polar Expressis Hero Boy ’s stubborn commitment to not believing in Santa Claus .
This plotline also was n’t necessary . It still would have work for the boy to lead off the movie not believing in Santa Claus and then realize he was amiss throughout his journeying on the train . This also bleeds into some much large issue regarding the overall messaging ofThe Polar Express , which is fairly inconsistent , particularly at the end .
Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express is an animated holiday-fantasy film by director Robert Zemeckis. A young boy is spirited away on Christmas Eve aboard the magical Polar Express, where he meets new friends on a journey to rediscover their belief in Christmas.
The Polar Express Faces The Same Parent Plot Hole Most Christmas Movies Do
The Parents In Christmas Movies Almost Never Make Sense
The Polar Expressalso falls victim to the same issue that countless Christmas movies do . It merely make no sensory faculty that parent do n’t conceive in Santa Claus if he is leave presents for children . If parents see a stack of present under their tree that they neither bought for their children nor placed there , clearly they should trust in Santa Claus .
If parents see a slew of present under their Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that they neither buy for their children nor placed there , clearly they should believe in Santa Claus .
Christmas flick have try on to explain this aside to varying degrees of succeeder , such as by suggesting that the parents just lacked communicating and conceive the other parent grease one’s palms the natural endowment . In all candour , The Polar Expresscan’t be blame for this more than any other Christmas movie can be . In order of magnitude to create a story about Santa Claus , a movie by nature must overlook the fact that parents not interrogate where Santa ’s gift came from is completely nonsensical .
The Polar Express Accidentally Reinforces That You Need To See To Believe
The Conclusion Of The Polar Express Undermines Its Own Message
Perhaps the single most important issue withThe Polar Expressis the fact thatthe movie end up reenforce the very message it claims to match . Hero Boy ’s moral is mean to be that he should trust in Santa Claus , and by extension , magic , without needing to see him with his own centre . This is why the word ' believe ' is boss on his train ticket . However , in the ending , the teller reveals that the boy preserve to believe in Santa into adulthood while everyone else around him lost their belief .
The job is that Hero Boy only retained his belief in Santa because he had seen him in person and because he know the buzzer was gifted to him by Santa . Others , who had not had the same experience , did not have that reward , and therefore , they lost hope . This is an uneven lapse for the picture to have , but it is nevertheless one of the most confusing aspects ofThe Polar Express .
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ground on the book by Chris Van Allsburg , The Polar Express is an animated holiday - phantasy moving picture by director Robert Zemeckis . A young male child is spirited aside on Christmas Eve aboard the magical Polar Express , where he meets new friend on a journey to rediscover their belief in Christmas .
