I never entered this film with high hopes. I am not a fan of Polar express and I only like Beowulf due to the source material. So when Disney asked us to watch Robert Zemecki's latest 3D animated film I shrugged. The first thing that you notice on this film is that the animation is gorgeous but it still had a touch of the dead eyes that plagued me from his previous 3D films. So it wasn't off to a great start but then after about 5 minutes I started to come around. I was getting sucked in as the film hit it's pace and by the end of the Disney's A Christmas Carol I have to say "I loved it".
This is a movie that is very faithful and is in no way holding back from scaring the crap out of it's intended audience. It is a breath of fresh air to see a movie that hasn't been dumbed down for it's audience. The scares and visuals will slam you out of your seat as all the ghosts truly teach Scrooge a lesson and it is definitely the hard way. We all know the source material but just in case you are an alien who is trying to understand our species through its online media reviews, than here is a plot rundown.
Mr Scrooge (Jim Carrey) is an cantankerous old rich man who hates life and doesn't like anybody. He is just a bad man. On Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner warning him of his evil doings and also telling Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits who will attempt to change his ways. Obviously this story is made for the technology Zemeckis uses and you can tell he has gone to town with it. The effects are great as Zemeckis pushes them to the limits with the three visits from the spirits. To watch this in 3D is also a joy as you get to see the texture and the characters come out at you. True, you also see the scenes that were designed to make you move but 80% of the film uses the 3D to immerse more than jab at you. You could really spend all night writing about the beautiful scenes and the way they are filmed but the truth is the story gets you so much you forget and juts go with it.Jim Carrey is finally free in this animated role. He is actually all the ghosts as well as Scrooge and does them all so well.This is a genre that Jim Carrey can truly be himself.
I know there is at the obvious comparison to Lemony Snickets (and there is truth to that) but it will still stand alone. It is also interesting to note that when Carrey does a kids film he never really keeps it kiddie because like Snickets this film is dark, if not darker. With the pounding audio and the crystal clear 3D visuals , Zemeckis wants to scare you .Which he does very successfully. I was looking at Biggeoff and he was almost in tears, whilst I only had something in my eye. Really it amazed me and I love the fact that I was surprised. Don't get me wrong, the film isn't a horror. There is a lot of lighthearted humor that will please the family but there are some scenes that just make you freak. Zemeckis just crafts them brilliantly so you can see the battle to save Scrooge's soul as they literally scare him and me straight.
The acting in the film is good as the animation can only brings their talent out so far. But they all voice them well and help create a good film. It is good to hear Bob Hoskins booming voice again and I hope he comes back for Roger Rabbit 2. But this is Carrey's film in voices and adding depth. Once again he proves that he is still a dynamite talent. There is not much you can say apart from that you know the story and you will see it amazingly transformed into film, faithfully.
We see a version of this every year but this ranks up there as a classic of the classic. It was that good. If I had to number it I would say that it is second in all my Christmas carol adaptations. Number one being A Muppet Christmas Carol. But I was so surprised that Zemecki took it to the limits it needed to go to get the proper story across.He is truly a master of his work. Go see this film , in 3D if possible. It's good, funny, spooky and beautifully animated. Robert Zemeckis gets better and better at 3D every time he does it. Can't wait for his next one.