Review: Disney's A Christmas Carol

Review: Disney's A Christmas Carol

Rating: **

Nonna's Rating: $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 55%

I'm downright schizophrenic about this film. Let me list what I liked about it:

• The animation is stunning -- even better than Polar Express. Dicken's London of 1842 is beautifully realized.
• Robert Zemeikis captures Jim Carrey's expressive face perfectly. Carrey's voice is different enough from his own that we forget it's Jim Carrey almost immediately.
• The Ghost of Christmas Past is an animated spooky flaming candle with an unsettling Irish brogue -- and I couldn't take my eyes off it.
• The Ghost of Christmas Future was awesomely creepy too.
• It's the scariest Christmas Carol ever. Yes, this is definitely a life-changing experience for Scrooge.
• My grandson Max (12) loved it.

Now, what I didn't like about it:

• Yes, Carrey's face was beautifully realized, but too many of the other characters looked like wax figures.
• Stick to the story! There was a bizarre chase scene in which Scrooge was miniaturized and spoke in a helium voice. Totally distracting and totally superfluous.
• It was too scary for Eli (5). He spent the whole movie with his hands over his eyes, even though I kept telling him no one would be hurt and everyone would be happy at the end. Much too much for a 5-year old.

Rent the 1951 Alastair Sim version. Far superior.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price
$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price
$$= Worth a rental
$ = Wait for cable
# = Skip it