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?
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Violence & Scariness
some
Continuous close calls: multiple careening rides (train, pneumatic tube) filmed from a child’s point-of-view; treacherous climbs and balancing atop the train; falls and lost kids; a runaway railway car; cracking ice beneath a speeding train; and a ghostly hobo appears to shatter into pieces at one point. But no one is injured, and the hobo reappears in fine form later.
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Products & Purchases
very little
Toy/book/merchandise tie-ins.
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Positive Messages
a lot
Filled with positive messages about the importance of believing, the value of friendship, respect for leadership and courage, and the beauty of being kind to others. Some specific messages: "The true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart," "It doesn’t matter where the train is going, it's deciding to get on that counts," and "There is no greater gift than friendship."
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Positive Role Models
a lot
"Boy," the film's hero, is curious, questioning, and honest. Though he's rightfully fearful in numerous scenes, he overcomes his fear and always does the right thing. "Girl," the other leading child character exhibits ideals of behavior: courage, leadership, friendship, and loving kindness. Adults are portrayed as wise, caring, and intelligent. Only stereotype is the "smart" kid, who is smug and annoying, but does change over the course of the film.
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Educational Value
none
No educational or informational intent, however, there are many positive messages expressed.
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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.) To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Polar Express
Parent and Kid Reviews
See all
- Parents say (59)
- Kids say (94)
Dale Dietrich Parent of 6 and 8-year-old
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.
SailingBadger Parent of 4 and 7-year-old
January 15, 2021
age 15+
Brief unnecessary scene not appropriate and does not help plot
The movie was ok. I was frustrated by the part when the boy is talking to the man on the top of the train and the man unexpectedly gets slammed into the tunnel and dies. It was unnecessary. It didn’t add to the movie and my kids didn’t need to see that. It was over before I could stop it.
Rate movie
See all 59 parent reviews
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?
Our review:
Parents say (59):
Kids say (94):
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
- In theaters: November 10, 2004
- On DVD or streaming: November 14, 2005
- Cast: Michael Jeter, Peter Scolari, Tom Hanks
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Book Characters, Holidays, Trains
- Character Strengths: Courage, Curiosity
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: all audiences
- Last updated: September 6, 2024
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The Polar Express
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