Going into A Christmas Carol, I was both excited, yet apprehensive. As much I'm a fan of Robert Zemeckis' work (my favorite of which, unabashedly, being '07's Beowulf), I couldn't help but feel worried that this would be just another retelling of the story in the exact same manner. Fortunately, this Christmas Carol takes a very different approach, focusing primarily on the horror aspect of the classic story.
While I was already somewhat worried upon hearing that this movie was even going to get made, knowing that Jim Carrey would star in the lead role didn't help much. Now, I personally appreciate Carrey's brand of humor, and have enjoyed most of his comedic performances. However, he's usually hit (with The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) or miss (with The Number 23) when it comes to his dramatic roles. So, I initially didn't know what to think about him being put in the role, and didn't hold out much hope after watching the trailers. To my surprise, however, Carrey actually ended being phenomenal as the old miser. Every aspect of his performance, right down to the way he moves, nails the character perfectly, and the unnaturally thin body of Scrooge sure is one monstrous creation.
Speaking of the CGI in this film, A Christmas Carol has never looked so beautiful, yet so frightening, than in this version. For those of you who are planning on seeing this film, definitely try to check it out in IMAX 3-D, as it just adds so much depth to the experience. Occasionally throughout the film, the 3-D is used in gimmicky ways, but for the most part, I thought it was handled pretty appropriately.
As I said before, this movie feels more like a horror story, as opposed to the joyous, feel-good tale of previous adaptations. There are some truly nightmarish images here, especially throughout the middle portion of the film, when the Ghost of Christmas Present arrives. As a result, though, Zemeckis strays away from the heart of the story, which I think is really going to disconnect a lot of viewers. I walked out of the movie split, honestly, and had to analyze it quite a bit more afterward.
Overall, Robert Zemeckis' take on A Christmas Carol is a darker, more terrifying version of the tale, and one that – if seen at all – should definitely be viewed on the big screen. The imagery is dazzling, yet disturbing, and the performances are brilliant all across the board. Just don't expect to be in a very "Christmasey" mood afterward.
While I was already somewhat worried upon hearing that this movie was even going to get made, knowing that Jim Carrey would star in the lead role didn't help much. Now, I personally appreciate Carrey's brand of humor, and have enjoyed most of his comedic performances. However, he's usually hit (with The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) or miss (with The Number 23) when it comes to his dramatic roles. So, I initially didn't know what to think about him being put in the role, and didn't hold out much hope after watching the trailers. To my surprise, however, Carrey actually ended being phenomenal as the old miser. Every aspect of his performance, right down to the way he moves, nails the character perfectly, and the unnaturally thin body of Scrooge sure is one monstrous creation.
Speaking of the CGI in this film, A Christmas Carol has never looked so beautiful, yet so frightening, than in this version. For those of you who are planning on seeing this film, definitely try to check it out in IMAX 3-D, as it just adds so much depth to the experience. Occasionally throughout the film, the 3-D is used in gimmicky ways, but for the most part, I thought it was handled pretty appropriately.
As I said before, this movie feels more like a horror story, as opposed to the joyous, feel-good tale of previous adaptations. There are some truly nightmarish images here, especially throughout the middle portion of the film, when the Ghost of Christmas Present arrives. As a result, though, Zemeckis strays away from the heart of the story, which I think is really going to disconnect a lot of viewers. I walked out of the movie split, honestly, and had to analyze it quite a bit more afterward.
Overall, Robert Zemeckis' take on A Christmas Carol is a darker, more terrifying version of the tale, and one that – if seen at all – should definitely be viewed on the big screen. The imagery is dazzling, yet disturbing, and the performances are brilliant all across the board. Just don't expect to be in a very "Christmasey" mood afterward.