When a sword-wielding Santa (Alec Baldwin,) a mute Sandman with attitude, an egg-bombing bunny (Hugh Jackman,) and a tooth fairy (Isla Fisher) with an army come to town, it’s a sign that the dreams of children everywhere are in danger. With guidance from the Man of the Moon, these Guardians recruit Jack Frost (Chris Pine,) a young teen with a mysterious past and the power to create ice, to help them fight against the darkness lurking across the globe: Pitch Black, the Boogeyman. As Jack Frost fights to protect the holiday spirits, he also fights to become an icon that’s seen and believed in by all children.
This animated tale easily meets the classic Christmas qualities embedded in “The Polar Express” that made the movie so popular. The animation was similar to that of the Polar Express with the same warm, Christmas-time feel. I personally liked this movie more than the Polar Express just because I found more humor in it and thought the plot and characters were an interesting twist from their original characterization in folk tales. Who wouldn’t want to see a tattooed Santa waving swords around? I really liked how the director (Peter Ramsey) decided to make the tooth fairy part hummingbird instead of the typical fairy in a poofy pink dress. It was also funny how he chose to make the elves worthless creatures that goof around and eat cookies while the Yetis in Santa’s workshop actually assemble the toys. It was definitely a very original idea.
One problem I had with the movie is a moment when Jack Frost carries a little girl to her bedroom after she had fallen asleep in the Easter Bunny’s workshop. Jack Frost was a character who wasn’t believed in, and he appears as a ghost who cannot be seen and can easily pass through people. The movie makes it clear that before Jack leaves to take her home, he was going to do so without physical contact when he says something along the lines of “I’ll use my magic winds.” But, when we get to the next scene, Jack is holding the girl in his arms and tucking her into bed. What? According to the movie, that shouldn’t be possible, but it happened, and I noticed.
Other than that minor slip-up, I still think “Rise of the Guardians” is a great movie to see. Many readers who have read my Arthur Christmas review may be thinking, “This reviewer just likes to say that every Christmas movie is good!” “Rise of the Guardians” isn’t just about Christmas though. It circumferences all holidays as its main theme is to be merry and have holiday cheer, something many people surprisingly lack this season. These types of themes are what make “Rise of the Guardians” so enjoyable around the holidays. Those who think it’s a movie for little kids are wrong; it’s a movie for anyone of any age to see. It’s okay if you’re too old to believe in Santa Claus and think that sort of plot is sort of cliche, because let’s face it, many holidays are cliche. You might as well indulge in holiday cheesiness and see “Rise of the Guardians.” It’s a very cute film that may inspire and lift your spirits.
