MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

A Christmas Carol Rated PG

Directed by Robert Zemeckis.  Animated Feature

Photo © Disney Studio
Movie Review by Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

What the Dickens is this? 

It’s a 3-D thrill ride of a movie based on Charles Dicken’s 1843 classic novella A Christmas Carol.  Strap on those big black spectacles and get ready to rock! 

While you have to grant that this third 3-D film by writer-director Zemeckis (following The Polar Express and Beowulf) has some amazing effects, you also have to consider what’s been lost in the bargain: most of the sentiment and charm of the original story! 

A Christmas Carol is a moving story of redemption, but the heart of the tale has been co-opted by technology.  Since the audience has to fly not only through the streets of London but also inside of buildings, everything in the movie is much too big, including Scrooge’s home (now a great mansion) and Mr. Fezziwig’s Christmas office party. 

The film keeps all of the “ghost story” elements alive, resulting in quite a few scary scenes (making this inappropriate for children).  This type of computer-animated film (now called “mocap”, which is short for “motion capture”) not only uses the voice talents of the actors, but their body movements, as well, including facial quirks. 

Jim Carrey is Scrooge, and he gives the part all that he has, although I often thought that he was simply imitating Alastair Sim from the 1951 British version.  Gary Oldman supplies the voice for the creepiest-looking Bob Crachit in film history. 

This film vacillates between horror and tedium for its hour and a half running time and I, for one, was glad to see it end.  They could have made a nifty 10-minute theme park ride out of this concept, but it is what it is:  The real nightmare before Christmas.

Pitchfork Rating:
Two halos. (If this mess of a film gets folks to read the original book, they will be in for a real treat.)

Two picthforks. (Very scary at times, especially if you suffer from motion-sickness.]

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