“ Sometimes the most real things in this world are the things we cannot see”. That pretty much sums up this breathtaking animated wonder (if I can call). Believe. That’s the word & that’s the spirit behind “ The Polar Express”. Wish I could see this movie on IMAX.
This is a Tom Hanks extravaganza all the way without Tom in it. He plays the boy, the conductor, the Santa. Unbelievably true but you don’t miss him actually cos the animation is way beyond our imagination. A work of art like this could have been done only by a mind of paranormal ability. Robert Zemeckis is one who takes Cinema to a level were mortals don’t really thread. His extraordinary works include Castaway, Back to the future; Death becomes her, what lies beneath, Forest Gump, Contact. Only one director stands next to him & that’s Steven Spielberg.
“ The Polar Express “ takes you through a fascinating journey, a journey were we are made to understand the basic virtues of mankind, Friendship, belief & love. The boy in the movie doesn’t believe in Santa. A dream takes him to North Pole. The places were Santa lives. Is he really there? To many of us it’s difficult to get out of dream knowing that it is not real. That’s what is used to optimum. Do we really want to get out of a dream that we really like? The boy knows all this is a dream but he doesn’t want to leave it because he loves it & he wants to find the answer to the eternal question. Does Santa really exist?
Throughout the movie the basic theme echoes & finally when he believes he hears the sound of the bell. Each & every child in this movie carries a message & that’s what sets Polar Express a class apart from its contemporaries.
Technically the film is WOW. One really doesn’t have words to describe it because it is way beyond what we think. The Glacier chase, the steep, chasing the ticket, the snow slide on train are just a few examples of how entertaining this movie is.
The specialty however is that actual actors have acted & this film has been shot fully in motion Capture. The director of Photography (Don Burgess) needs to be complimented for such a stunning work because he has captured everything on imagination & that needs to be lauded.
Besides the technical aspects “The Polar Express” boasts of one of the best soundtracks that one can hear. An awe-inspiring score by Alan Silvestri. He has also done the songs with various artists.
If you haven’t watched this flick as of yet, just rush. By any chance if you are in Mumbai or Hyderabad watch it on IMAX & if you have children take them.