Review: A Christmas Carol
There are a great many imponderable questions in this life. One of them is “Why does Kristen Stewart always look like she just took a bunch of Benadryl?” Only slightly less perplexing is “Why do so many filmmakers take beloved classics–especially childrens’ classics–and make cinematic train wrecks of them?” I’m looking at you, pretty-much-anything-based-on-a-Dr.-Seuss-Book-in-the-last-decade.
So it was with great trepidation that I allowed my daughter Devin to drag me to the Robert Zemeckis-helmed A Christmas Carol this past Sunday. The marketing for the film leads one to believe it is a wacky slapstick comedy. Jim Carrey being Jim Carrey! Scrooge ramming his nuts into an icicle as he slides down a roof! Fun!
“What the heck,” I thought. “The popcorn will be good.” That’s how desperate I am for any kind of moviegoing experience.
Much to my surprise, the film is absolutely nothing like what is portrayed in the ads. (I know! The scandal!) In fact, with the exception of one interminable, meaningless scene injected by the creators (presumably to punch up the action a bit, as it comes during a slow point… sadly, robbing that slow point of much of its very important emotional impact), this is the most authentic rendition of Charles Dickens’ original I’ve seen. Much of the dialog is preserved verbatim. And it is far and away anything but a comedy. At its heart, it has always been a creepy ghost story with a strong moral, and that is exactly what this film is. And here the marketing team has done the film a further disservice. If I had brought small children to this film thinking it was a bit of animated puffery, I would have had to walk out. There were parts where, frankly, it was bordering on too intense for Devin, who is on the sensitive side of 11. But if you’ve got kids in that age range (maybe even a little younger if they’re into that sort of thing), it’s excellent.
The mocapped animation still creeps me out, though it gets better with every film. Gary Oldman’s Bob Cratchitt is simply off; he’s not just visiting the Uncanny Valley, he’s building a summer house there. But the film is actually good enough to overlook that. Strongly recommended.
(N.B. — I didn’t see the 3D version of the film, so I can’t comment on that either way. 3D just isn’t my bag.)
Sorry to be the bring of bad news but you are a tool.
Allow me to present the evidence.
Exhibit A) You “allowed” your daughter to drag you along. Yes – what a man you are.
Exhibit B) Your daughter is on the sensitive side of 11? WTF – bring her to see “Ass Tulips 3 – inside out again” – this will make a real woman of her. You could also have her read the Nancy Drew books – however she’ll grow up to be an ass.
Exhibit C) You actually took the time to type up a review for the 5 readers of your blog.
Oh and 3D isn’t your bag. Some might say you don’t have a bag at all. A ball bag that is.
Uh, wow. You might need to get out of the house a little more. That’s all I’m saying.
Good gravy! I don’t know what that comment tirade was all about.
I appreciate the heads-up on this. I still have Polar Express flashbacks, so it’s good to know that Zemeckis was actually respectful of the Dickens in his Dickens movie.
Hope you’re doing well, man. We’ve been enjoying Roborally, and clearly need to get together for another game night sometime soon. Hopefully our battle with the black plague will be ended soon and that sort of thing will become a possibility once more.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I was going to complain in my own right about your peripheral writing. However, Shelley Cannon’s comment is so bizarrely out of left field and meaningless that I could only get attention if I reply under Godwin’s Law…so:
You obviously want to round up all the children, gas them with the filmmakers, and invade Poland. That’s why I can’t trust your taste in movies.
It’s true. Alas, it’s really hard to get to Poland.
And on a more serious note: “peripheral writing”? Please elucidate.
“related to the key issue but not of central importance;”
Your attack on Kristin Stewart? Attacking the visage of celebrities is pathetic. She looks the way she looks.
“3D just isn’t my bag.” Have you seen one of the RealD movies? They are stunning. I liken them to the invention of sound, and color. Because of this advance in tech, there will soon be a day all movies and tv are shot in 3D.
Does this version of A Christmas Carol have the emaciated children (ignorance and want) under the robe of the Ghost of Christmas Present? I always thought that was the best part.
In fact, I seem to recall that it does. Could be wrong though, it’s been a while.