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Disney's A Christmas Carol is the first motion picture produced by ImageMovers Digital, a studio created by filmmaking legend Robert Zemeckis and partners Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke solely for the purpose of producing Motion-Capture (MoCap) films exclusively for The Walt Disney Company. Ironically, Zemeckis first explored the power of MoCap with another holiday film adaptation, The Polar Express (he also subsequently made use of the technology in Beowulf).
Despite countless theatrical versions of A Christmas Carol to date, there is little doubt that Zemeckis has allowed the hybrid of live action and computer generated imagery afforded to MoCap to an entirely new level unequivocally producing the best version to date of the timeless classic. Doug Chiang, who has served as production designer for all three Zemeckis MoCap films, faithfully re-creates the 1840s London setting with the aid of existing photographs and fills every set with extraordinary virtual props. The film is absent a traditional costume designer because nothing is extravagant or out of place but based on very real articles of clothing.
Although the movie is released under the Walt Disney Studios banner, this is not a 'Disney' movie. Yet there probably isn't another Studio who could yield anything remotely close to the final product here. Despite being marketed as a family friendly film, the movie is rated PG for scary imagery and although it's not quite PG-13 level, it's definitely a hard PG. While there have been rumblings about the sneak peek footage shown during the national train tour being too much for children, the film itself gets much worse. Also, aside from the imagery on the screen, the dialogue is true to the original 1843 text, so it's likely to go over the heads of small children whom I could imagine finding themselves bored rather quickly (when not soiling themselves).
Admittedly, Zemeckis (who wrote the film adaptation) didn't have to stretch his imagination too far. The original 1843 story by Dickens is in fact ripe with vivid descriptors and dialogue and Zemeckis does his best to stick to the original material, needing only to fill in a line here or there which the film does effortlessly -- without the original text to refer to, it's difficult to draw the line where Dickens' sentences end and Zemeckis' kick in. Zemeckis does take some rare liberties with the text, sometimes for a bit of comical relief, but there's nothing offensive towards the intent of the original. He also pulls no punches, using words such as 'cripple' when referring to Tiny Tim (in a non-derogatory sense), a word that I couldn't manage to find in the story I read but would imagine most films would have altered regardless if it had. The movie is completely unapologetic in its look and writing and there's not a single reason why it would need to be either.
Few on-screen protagonists can rival the well-deserved contemptuous reputation of Ebenezer Scrooge © ImageMovers Digital. All Rights Reserved.
Although never actually appearing on screen, Jim Carrey (who pulls off several roles in the film) pulls off an award winning performance as Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. With MoCap, the actors do actually perform in their MoCap suits on bare sets and their facial expressions and physical gestures do parlay directly into the character on screen. The film's setup portrays an Ebenezer Scrooge far more bitter and resentful and downright mean than I ever recall seeing before, but no different than he is in the book, as he advises charity seekers that the homeless have no excuse with prisons available and that the sick are just well on their way to solving the overpopulation problem. Yet Scrooge immediately springs to life when the Ghost of Christmas Past brings Scrooge to his childhood village, an act that's completely believable in every sense of the word for someone who was wishing ill will to everyone just a few moments before.
As for the Ghosts, I managed to find them each creepy in their own way. I was unsettled by my first sight of the Ghost of Christmas Past when I first saw him during a sneak peek Disney provided to me earlier in the year and I am sorry to report that my feelings have not changed. Appearing as primarily a wisp of flame, Past hisses his words and hovers in the room bearing the giant face of Scrooge/Carrey (as per the story, the Ghosts are reflections of Scrooge's past, so they all resemble him as well). He garners a few chuckles when he does the Ghostly version of the pop n lock although I wasn't one of the ones laughing (just too freaked out to find it funny).
As the Ghost of Christmas Present, a giant who is overly jolly and filled with good will, Carrey's performance is that of intimidation, as a bully might be, laughing knowing full well he had the upperhand. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is seemingly just pure evil, existing as a unique combination of shadow and a 'physical' hand as the need dictates, never uttering a word as he shows Scrooge further down the path he's traveling.
The Ghost of Christmas Present offers a unique perspective into things as they are © ImageMovers Digital. All Rights Reserved.
The movie is undoubtedly a vehicle for Robert Zemeckis (who is already planning his next MoCap film for Disney in the form of a remake of The Beatles' animated classic Yellow Submarine) and Carrey, but there' no phoned in performance either. Gary Oldman shares the screen time quite a bit as the Ghost of Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim while Robin Wright Penn and Bob Hoskins round out top billing with smaller, but important roles in Scrooge's life.
Even the use of 3D is remarkable as well with tracking shots taking full advantage of the spacial differenes between characters and props. There's nothing gimicky about its use in the film and yet the imagery it provides is the perfect gimmick in itself. As the snow snowly falls, the distance between every flake is evident and mesmerizing. When it snows hard, you'll have trouble believing it's not actually falling inside the theater (if only they hired ushers to spray the audience with cold water). Coupled with the occasional scenes such as when the Ghost of Christmas Present shows the shadows to Scrooge in a room that's anything but stable and the chase sene with the Ghost of Christmas Past, Disney's A Christmas Carol is an unparalleled virtual thrill ride suitable to be found in any theme park. It even included a scene I found reminiscent of The Haunted Mansion.
Added to the mix and equally as pleasing is an original song titled 'God Bless Us Everyone.' Written by film composer Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard and recorded by opera performer Andrea Bocelli, the powerful song stands on its own as it's played over the end credits and is surely to be welcomed in any observing home.
It's not all perfect however. Despite the enormous strides CGI has made towards emulating humans, the film still demonstrates there's still a long way to go. Long gone are the days of people with perfect faces and soul-less eyes, particularly as you can see the subtle movements of the characters as they are unintentionally still, but there's still an awkwardness that remains. The filmmakers have also gone on the record as suggesting the occasional blatant disregard for physics is a plus, but while I don't mind the dancing scene as much in which a woman is twirled unnaturally far and slowly into the air, it affected me a bit during other acts such as children swinging on a pole in bullet-time as the world around them went on in real-time. As ethereal as the movie's plot is, it's a bit offputting in certain scenes. I'm also not a fan of how the film was marketed (true to the original story, Scrooge does NOT constantly scream 'Humbug!,' particularly when flailing about through the air.
Despite photo-realistic interpretations of actors Gary Oldman and Jim Carrey in their respective roles, motion adds physical challenges to believability © ImageMovers Digital. All Rights Reserved.
Bottom line, the only real fault I can find with this movie is that it was perhaps made too soon: for the humans and for the home video release (let us pray this is the impetus that brings about 3D Blu-ray, as troubled as that will be for a while). But since Zemeckis couldn't wait, don't wait either. Find the largest IMAX screen you can, sit back, relax and enjoy the thrill ride.
Tools 
(5/5)