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AnimationAdventureFamilyFantasy

The Polar Express

- This holiday season... believe.

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Release Date : 2004-11-10

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Golden MeanPlaytoneImageMoversCastle Rock EntertainmentShangri-La Entertainment

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The Polar Express 3DThe Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience

Cast

Tom Hanks

Character Name : Hero Boy / Father / Conductor / Hobo / Scrooge / Santa Claus

Original Name : Tom Hanks

Gender : Male

Leslie Zemeckis

Character Name : Sister Sarah / Mother

Original Name : Leslie Zemeckis

Gender : Female

Eddie Deezen

Character Name : Know-It-All

Original Name : Eddie Deezen

Gender : Male

Nona Gaye

Character Name : Hero Girl (voice)

Original Name : Nona Gaye

Gender : Female

Peter Scolari

Character Name : Billy - Lonely Boy

Original Name : Peter Scolari

Gender : Male

Michael Jeter

Character Name : Smokey / Steamer

Original Name : Michael Jeter

Gender : Male

Josh Hutcherson

Character Name : Hero Boy (motion capture)

Original Name : Josh Hutcherson

Gender : Male

Daryl Sabara

Character Name : Hero Boy (voice)

Original Name : Daryl Sabara

Gender : Male

Jimmy Bennett

Character Name : Lonely Boy (voice)

Original Name : Jimmy Bennett

Gender : Male

Tinashe

Character Name : Hero Girl (motion capture)

Original Name : Tinashe

Gender : Female

Brendan King

Character Name : Pastry Chef

Original Name : Brendan King

Gender : Male

Andy Pellick

Character Name : Pastry Chef

Original Name : Andy Pellick

Gender : Male

Josh Eli

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Josh Eli

Gender : Male

Mark Mendonca

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Mark Mendonca

Gender : Male

Rolondas Hendricks

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Rolondas Hendricks

Gender : Male

Mark Goodman

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Mark Goodman

Gender : Male

Jon Scott

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Jon Scott

Gender : Male

Gregory Gast

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Gregory Gast

Gender : Male

Sean Scott

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Sean Scott

Gender : Male

Gordon Hart

Character Name : Waiter

Original Name : Gordon Hart

Gender : Male

Chris Coppola

Character Name : Toothless Boy / Elf

Original Name : Chris Coppola

Gender : Male

Julene Renee

Character Name : Red Head Girl / Elf

Original Name : Julene Renee

Gender : Female

Charles Fleischer

Character Name : Elf General

Original Name : Charles Fleischer

Gender : Male

Steven Tyler

Character Name : Elf Lieutenant / Elf Singer

Original Name : Steven Tyler

Gender : Male

Phil Fondacaro

Character Name : Elf

Original Name : Phil Fondacaro

Gender : Male

Debbie Lee Carrington

Character Name : Elf

Original Name : Debbie Lee Carrington

Gender : Female

Mark Povinelli

Character Name : Elf

Original Name : Mark Povinelli

Gender : Male

Ed Gale

Character Name : Elf

Original Name : Ed Gale

Gender : Male

Dante Pastula

Character Name : Little Boy

Original Name : Dante Pastula

Gender : Male

André Sogliuzzo

Character Name : Smokey / Steamer (voice)

Original Name : André Sogliuzzo

Gender : Male

Isabella Peregrina

Character Name : Sister Sarah (voice)

Original Name : Isabella Peregrina

Gender : Female

Eric Newton

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Eric Newton

Gender : Male

Aidan O'Shea

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Aidan O'Shea

Gender : Male

Aaron Hendry

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Aaron Hendry

Gender : Male

Kevin C. Carr

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Kevin C. Carr

Gender : Male

Bee Jay Joyer

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Bee Jay Joyer

Gender : Male

Jena Carpenter

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Jena Carpenter

Gender : Female

Karine Mauffrey

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Karine Mauffrey

Gender : Female

Elisabeth P. Carpenter

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Elisabeth P. Carpenter

Gender : Female

Bill Forchion

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Bill Forchion

Gender : Male

Devin Henderson

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Devin Henderson

Gender : Male

Sagiv Ben-Binyamin

Character Name : Acrobatic Elf

Original Name : Sagiv Ben-Binyamin

Gender : Male

Ashly Holloway

Character Name : Sister Sarah

Original Name : Ashly Holloway

Gender : Female

Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak

Character Name : Know-It-All

Original Name : Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak

Gender : Male

Chantel Valdivieso

Character Name : Hero Girl

Original Name : Chantel Valdivieso

Gender : Female

Hayden McFarland

Character Name : Lonely Boy

Original Name : Hayden McFarland

Gender : Male

Connor Matheus

Character Name : Toothless Boy

Original Name : Connor Matheus

Gender : Male

Evan Sabara

Character Name : Young Boy

Original Name : Evan Sabara

Gender : Male

Jack Angel

Character Name : Wolves (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Angel

Gender : Male

Rodger Bumpass

Character Name : Wolves (uncredited)

Original Name : Rodger Bumpass

Gender : Male

Dylan Cash

Character Name : Boy (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Dylan Cash

Gender : Male

Cody Klop

Character Name : Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)

Original Name : Cody Klop

Gender : Male

Patrick Stogner

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick Stogner

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***Some kids with creepy dead eyes take a dreamlike trip to the North Pole on The Polar Express*** A boy from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is at the age where he no longer believes in Christmas, as far as Santa, his elves and flying reindeer go, but a magical train appears in front of his home on Christmas Eve and whisks him away on an adventurous trip to the North Pole with several other kids. “The Polar Express” (2004) was based on the 1985 Christmas book and was the first mainline movie to use motion capture animation for all its characters beginning to end (think Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy). Some people think the animation is weak, but I feel it creates its own world and has its own charm. It holds up as long as you can adapt to those creepy dead eyes of the characters. Some people love this movie while others think it’s weird, like a Twilight Zone Christmas flick. Roger Ebert, for instance, loved it and gave it a perfect grade. I’m sorta in the middle. I see its good points and appreciate them, like the haunting winter ambiance, parts of the trip to the North Pole (e.g. the quasi-rollercoaster ride) and the kids’ investigation of the Christmas factory. But there are some meh parts and dubious sections like the whole last act with the multitude of elves and the towering Santa who looked like he was modeled after 6’5” Christopher Lee with a pillow strapped to his mid-section. The movie’s interesting in some ways but also quaint in a cheesy way, as well as peculiar and lifeless. The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes. GRADE: C

Peter89Spencer

@Peter89Spencer

2021-06-23

No matter how many times I watch this, it always brought me to tears! I only wish that I got to see it in 3D at the cinema.

Peter McGinn

@narrator56

2021-06-23

Watching The Polar Express is not an annual event for me, but I believe I have seen it three times and would not nix the idea if someone were to suggest watching it again. I feel a connection to it for an odd reason: my wife and I volunteered one Christmas season to be elves serving cocoa and dancing for an actual Polar Express narrow gauge train ride when we lived in Maine. (Though I can assure you our dancing was not as acrobatic as what you see in this movie.) The animation feels a little odd at first, but I stop noticing it each time I watch it. The story turns the train trip to the North Pole into a real thrill ride for the children on board, especially for our hero boy, voiced by Tom Hanks. In fact, if you are a Hanks fan, settle in, because he does multiple voices here, including one that sounds remarkably like Gilbert Godfrey to me. I try to avoid punching holes in the plots of Christmas movies. Half the point is that they will include unlikely events all leading to the miracle of Christmas ending. You want logic; pull out the old algebra textbook!

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-12-24

A young man is all excited as he heads to bed on Christmas eve. His sleep is disturbed though, when his house starts to shake. He bounds to the window whereupon he sees the arrival of a great train, one he quickly discovers is heading on to the North Pole. Safely aboard he encounters other children and adventure beckons as they learn that one child will get to meet Santa Claus himself before he embarks on his global deliveries! I didn't love this film. I found the rather sharp, linear, facial animations a bit too sterile and there is way too much chatter with not enough going on. I can play chase the ticket once, but after a while that became little better than a clunky conduit for the rather episodic nature of the narrative. I'm sure that technically it is a masterpiece of CGI and human interaction, but somehow it all just left me feeling that the cheesy sentiment overwhelmed it with it's messages of teamwork and the Christmas spirit well and truly over-egged. Alan Silvestri has provided a nice score, and when the animation scenes focus on the actual train then it does liven up a bit, but sorry - for the most part I wasn't sold.