The Polar Express

Watch The Polar Express

"This holiday season... believe."
  • PG
  • 2004
  • 1 hr 40 min
  • 6.6  (243,205)
  • 61

The Polar Express is a 2004 animated adventure movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starring Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, and Michael Jeter. The movie is based on the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, and follows the story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus. One Christmas Eve, as the boy is lying awake in his bed, he hears a loud noise outside and is surprised to see a massive steam train stopping at his front door. The train is headed to the North Pole, and the boy is invited to join a group of children on board the Polar Express.

As the train makes its way through blizzards, tunnels, and mountains, the children are delighted by the magical experience. They encounter a variety of colorful characters along the way, including a gruff but friendly engineer, a mysterious hobo who rides on the roof of the train, and a lonely boy who has never received a Christmas gift. The train also encounters a herd of caribou, and a pack of mischievous wolves that try to derail the train. Despite these setbacks, the Polar Express pushes on with the enthusiasm of its young passengers.

When the train finally reaches the North Pole, the children are awed by the glittering lights and festive decorations that cover the city. They are greeted by a kindly old elf who leads them to Santa Claus himself. The boy, however, is still uncertain that Santa is real, and politely declines an invitation to meet him. Instead, he asks for a simple silver bell from Santa's sleigh as a gift.

The Polar Express embarks on the return trip to the boy's home, but he soon discovers that the bell has fallen out of his pocket. Crestfallen, he disembarks from the train, and returns to his house. However, on Christmas morning, he finds a gift-wrapped box under the tree, with a note from Santa that reads "Found this on the seat of my sleigh. Fix that hole in your pocket." Inside, he finds the silver bell that he had asked for, and, as he shakes it, he and those around him are filled with the magic of Christmas.

The Polar Express is an enchanting, heartwarming movie that celebrates the spirit of Christmas and the power of belief. The animation is extraordinarily detailed, making the movie visually stunning, and the voice performances by Hanks and the rest of the cast are top-notch. The soundtrack of the movie, featuring classic carols and original songs by Alan Silvestri, is unforgettable. This movie is an excellent choice for a family-friendly Christmas movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

In summary, The Polar Express is a beautiful and magical movie that captures the spirit of Christmas and encourages us to believe in the extraordinary.

The Polar Express is a 2004 animated movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 61.

The Polar Express
Description
Where to Watch The Polar Express
The Polar Express is available to watch, stream, download and buy, rent on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play and Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent The Polar Express for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    2004
  • MPAA Rating
    PG
  • Runtime
    1 hr 40 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    6.6  (243,205)
  • Metascore
    61