A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Robert Zemeckis has been revered for directing films like "Cast Away", the "Back to the Future" series, and "Forrest Gump". But in the last few years he has developed a curious habit in the field of animation. His last two outings in this category were "The Polar Express" (another classic Christmas tale) and the action-epic "Beowulf". These films are both very well done and the computer animation is spectacular. They pale in comparison though to Zemeckis' third animated epic, "A Christmas Carol".


This classic tale needs no summary, but the way Scrooge and his three ghosts are presented are absolutely stunning. Scrooge himself, voiced by the way-too-talented Jim Carrey, is just a marvel to look at. His hooked nose and jutting chin are done in a way that makes him ugly, but still relatable as a human being. He also looks incredibly real, every pore on his face is able to be seen, and his clothes look just as real and tattered as if they were in a live-action period film. Jim Carrey's voice also shines through, his British, mean-spirited growl is so well done that it is hard to believe that Ace Ventura is voicing him.


The ghost of Christmas Past (voiced by Carrey) is the funniest and most exciting of the three ghosts. His head is a ball of fire and he is about three feet tall. Carrey's whisper of a voice makes everything the ghost says funny and his head-bobbing can be stared at the entire film. Christmas Past also provides the best visuals as he flies Scrooge through cities and forests to visit Scrooge's school, where he first worked, and the place where his wife left him. These scenes provide depth and sympathy for Scrooge, and require a reevaluation of his character.


The Ghost of Christmas Present is by far the most well done of the three ghosts. Voiced again by Carrey, he provides a boisterous laugh to this jolly giant of a spirit and makes Scrooge see how his bad treatment of his co-workers and peers have negatively affected them on Christmas day. These surprisingly tender scenes effect Scrooge deeply. So much so in fact, that he cries after the jolly ghost disappears (which happens right after a surprisingly scary scene involving rabid children or "temptations").


"A Christmas Carol" gets down right creepy when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come enters. Looking exactly like the grim reaper and taking the form of Scrooge's shadow, he provides Scrooge a look into the future right after Scrooge has died. This finally sends Scrooge over the edge, and leaves Scrooge to question how he treats Christmas and everyone around him.


The visuals are absolutely stunning. All of the "sets" look 100% real, and everything in the background and foreground are animated meticulously. "A Christmas Carol" is also very well adapted from Dickens' story. Zemeckis' screenplay is written in the exact same type of dialect as in the book, so it will be hard for little kids to understand. It is also the most faithful adaptation of the book I have ever seen. This is a version of Dickens' classic for people older then 10 years of age. Finally! This is no Muppet are Mickey Mouse version, this is the Dickens version, and for that I thank Zemeckis. It is quite scary for younger kids as well, so there will not be a lot of crying babies in the theater either. The movie is very long though, and some of the sequences just make stomachs do somersaults. These two things, while seeming rather small, really detract from the film. But if Zemeckis can keep improving this much with each of his animated films, the public will be in for a real treat. More please, Mr. Zemeckis!


Verdict: GO SEE IT!


****/***** (4/5 stars)