A Christmas Carol (2009)

Robert Zemeckis was going to lose this battle the moment I set foot in the theatre. Nothing compares to the classic 1951 version starring Alistair Sims. But in Zemeckis’ defense (not that he needs any); his animated adaptation of the iconic tale is a delightful reimaging.

Admirably faithful to Dickens’s tale, A Christmas Carol takes few artist liberties. The ones that Zemeckis bravely executes add a modern charm that is commendable. The 3-D effects (now, for the record, this is the first film that I’ve viewed since the 3D epidemic took hold in Hollywood) are arresting and beautifully rendered.

Star of the show—Jim Carrey, surprisingly enough, is lost in the film. Though we see glimmers of the spastic star, the motion-capture is top-notch and his ugly face doesn’t come through. Scrooge's expressions are more lifelike with subtle changes. Colin Firth as Scrooge’s nephew is a sweet surprise. Bob Cratchit (voiced by Gary Oldman) is a bulbous, nearly lifeless fellow--a true disappointment.

The Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future rendered are faithful, if sometimes oddly frightening. A few particularly dark scenes mar an otherwise family-friendly fare. They are truly terrifying and out of character, but I am a classicist. Modern film-goers will find no issues with the aforementioned.

The scoring is complimentary. Andrea Bocelli sings a beautiful piece over the nondescript closing credits. What a waste!

Here’s the part where I leave, once again, my readers with a quizzical expression. Visually, Zemekis’ A Christmas Carol is arresting, but often times, I feel the ‘flying over and through London’ is pure filler, detracting from essential elements. At one point, I felt nauseous. Additionally, I take to task the overly diabolical element of our specters. This film does not have the charm of previous renditions, nor do I think it captures the true spirit of the novel.

This version is all style with no substance. But criticisms aside, most movie-goers will find A Christmas Carol a decent if unsatisfying film.