  
Disney's A Christmas Carol a.k.a. “Disney's A Christmas Carol,” “Disney's Christmas Carol,” “A Christmas Carol: An IMAX 3D Experience,” “Bozicna pesem 3D,” “Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte,” “En julsaga,” “Karácsonyi ének,” “Le drôle de Noël de Scrooge,” “Los fantasmas de Scrooge,” “O poveste de Craciun,” “Os Fantasmas de Scrooge,” “Saiturin joulu,” “Um Conto de Natal”MPAA Rating:
 for scary sequences and images.Reviewed by: Sheri McMurray Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:
Kids Family Teens Adults
Genre:
Animation (performance capture), Christmas, 3D, Family, Comedy, Fantasy, Drama, Adaptation
Length:
1 hr. 36 min.
Year of Release:
2009
USA Release:
November 6, 2009 (wide—3,500+ theaters)
  
Relevant Issues
Money in the Bible How can I spend my money more wisely? Answer POVERTY—What does the Bible say about the poor? Answer Poor in the Bible Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer What about the issue of suffering? Doesn't this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer Does God feel our pain? Answer ORIGIN OF BAD—How did bad things come about? Answer Did God make the world the way it is now? What kind of world would you create? Answer
Movie reviews
A Christmas Carol (1951) A Christmas Carol (1984)
Scrooge in 3D motion capture animation We all know the story. After being visited by four ghosts on Christmas eve, a miserly, bitter man, in the person of Ebenezer Scrooge (the voice of Jim Carrey), has a secular conversion to a real vibrant faith and true giving to his fellow man. Disney’s new “A Christmas Carol” is all we’d expect from the studio that also brought us “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” (1983) and “A Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992). Not only is this animated film a true Disney adventure, in 3D (first ever animated Disney film to be released in IMAX 3D), containing the stunning talents of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright Penn, but it boldly tells this classic tale to today’s audience without restraint. In a world riddled with political correctness and religious fundamentalism, it simply states that Christmas is rooted in the basic beliefs that make men and women strong. What makes a Nation strong. Our strength will never depend on how much money we can horde, but what is in our hearts. It tells us we need our faith to survive, and that simple fact makes us powerful from within. At a time when our nation seems to be teetering on the verge of socialism and self-indulgence, and as we watch unemployment rise because of the greed of big corporations, as we observe our Christian faith bashed to the point of censorship, it is a delight to watch this film courageously put across all of what the original story intended. It fashions it using today’s advanced animation technologies, while keeping with the original language Dickens’ used. It is apparent this film was a labor of love. A Christmas Carol was originally written to a world where Charles Dickens saw the British government set changes in the welfare system known as the “Poor Laws,” changes which required among other things, welfare applicants to “work” on treadmills, and where there were no controls over age, and children were worked sometimes to death. Dickens asked, through his writing, for people to recognize the plight of those whom the Industrial Revolution had driven into poverty, and the obligation of his Government and society to provide for them humanely. Failure to do so, Dickens implied through the characters under the cloak of Christmas Present of ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Want’ as ghastly children, could only result in an unnamed “Doom” for those who, like Scrooge, believed their wealth and status qualified them to sit in judgment of the poor, rather than to assist them. The story redefined the spirit and importance of Christmas and initiated a rebirth of seasonal merriment after Puritan authorities in 17th century England and America suppressed pre-Christian rituals associated with the holiday (which echoes, for me at least, what is happening in our own country today). The religious and social implications of “A Christmas Carol” and its depiction of Christmas traditions have played a significant role in reinventing Christmas with an emphasis on family, goodwill, and compassion. Lessons our modern governments and societies the world over need to re-learn. Take your entire family and be prepared to wear the always needed 3D glasses. Very young children may not sit still long enough to reap the benefits of this film’s message, but they will most certainly be entertained by the wondrous ride through Scrooge’s night of mayhem. The rating of PG is accurate—for some very realistic looking ghosts and some very scary images. There were children sitting around me as young as three, and although I never heard them cry, there were some parents who had to sit and quietly reassure them it was just a “cartoon.” There is no profanity or uncalled for language, as the dialogue is based squarely upon the poetic language of Dickens’ original novella. As far as special effects, this is a beauty! There has been a most painstaking, very precise attention to every detail—from room decor to clothing and settings. The looks in the eyes, as well as facial expressions, of each character is amazing, and the close-ups are so detailed, you can see every hair in every pore on old Scrooge’s face. Snowflakes so realistic, I felt I could reach out and catch them on my palm. The scenes where Scrooge is being spirited away to different times and places in the past present and future are like being catapulted on one of the thrill rides at a Disney theme park! You will not be disappointed. I must commend Disney studios for keeping right with the original intension and thrust of “A Christmas Carol,” not just in it’s political views of Dickens’ day, but the obvious religious implications. They did not shy away from an awe inspiring rendition of “Hark The Herald Angels Sing,” as the ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to the very pinnacle of a church to hover over the cross of Jesus as he explains the beauty and depth of what the season really means. The lyrics pertaining to our Savior’s birth, and Lord Jesus as being our King are clearly in the forefront. The fact that the Cratchit family is religious is not watered down, and the expression that has become a staple in our modern folk sayings uttered by Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone,” was said with truth and vigor and not made fun of or tossed aside. It was the final breath of the film, and it was an awesome feeling to hear him utter it. There are, of course, some who will say having ghosts in a Christmas tale is not very Christian, but one must also take into consideration the wondrous tales of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and like it note, this is a rich message for all ages about our struggles with faith and Christian values dressed in the robe of fantasy. The soundtrack is full of beautiful Christmas standards and conducted with exquisite grace by Alan Silvestri. It definitely put me in the Christmas spirit, and the entire production is the perfect, most positive choice to start out our journey on the road to Christmas.
The tale of “A Christmas Carol” has been viewed as an indictment of the industrial revolution and capitalism in the early nineteenth century and has been credited with returning the holiday to one of merriment and festivity in Britain and America after a period of sobriety, somberness and repression. “A Christmas Carol” remains a popular staple for all ages, has never been out of print since it first appeared on book shelves on December 19th 1843, and has been adapted to film, opera, and other varied media. May God continue to bless it’s message of faith, hope and the worth of a Christian heart in the form of giving without reservation, not only during Christmas but every day of every year. God doesn’t promise a life that takes us from rags to riches. Life will not always be worry free or painless. What He does promise is that He will provide our needs without fail. Perhaps it is a good time for us to sit down with The Lord in a quiet place and ponder what Paul has to say in Romans 8:32.
Violence: Minor / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: None See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.   Comments below:
Positive
Positive - This movie is very good. It is lively, heart warming and yes a little bit scary for good reasons. There is one mild swear word in the early stages of the movie, but is has a great message and is a very good remake of a classic I've loved since my childhood. They are singing about Jesus and Heaven, Have a long close up of the cross in one scene and the joy on Ebenezer Scrooges face at the end of the movie, makes it a must see for all families. Some scary moments with the ghost of Christmas future, but very very good. :-) All in all, it's still tells us that especially during the Christmas season, to remember the less fortunate, and to keep Christmas in your heart the whole year long. Positive - I was amazed at how far we've come in computer animated technology, and to see all that excellent labor of love put into a wholesome story of the christian celebration of giving from the heart really encouraged me. There is so much “new age” junk going on in movies today and hollywood seems to usually camp around making fun of high standards, so to see this masterpiece presented gives hope that there may still yet be some movie makers with a moral compass. While there are spots in the movie that might scare small children, this is a family jewel of a movie destined to become a classic. I'm a minister and a movie goer who hasn't found much of a movie to go to until now. Don't miss this and see it in 3D or IMAX. Positive - I love the new digital 3D, and this is a beauty. I went with my wife and 5 others, and we all thought it was great. Positive - I took my 7 year old granddaughter to see “A Christmas Carol” after reading the reviews of some other movies that were supposed to be for children. I originally set out to see “Where the wild things are” or “AstroBoy,” but after reading the reviews, I decided to see “A Christmas Carol”. My granddaughter was confused about who all the characters were, because he visits himself as a young boy, a young man, a middle aged man, and an old man, and couldn't grasp the concept of him witnessing his own life from an ethereal plane. She had recently lost a classmate, so she was very concerned about whether Tiny Tim was going to die. I'm not really sure if he did or not. Positive - First off, I would like to say that this movie deserved it's PG rating for scary images and scenes (I have to admit that even I got a little scared with some of the ghosts). There was one swear word in the entire movie; I didn't expect many swear words, because this is a classic Charles Dickens story. Apart from those two things this movie was really good. Positive - I loved the movie except I did miss “Bha Humbug!” instead he says “Boulderdash” it didnt fit. Carey seemed to model his Scrooge after Alastair Sim 1951 portrayal, which is my all time favorite. If you like this check that one out you wont be sorry. Becasue of this I missed them reading the Bible and praying and Scrooge seeing why he didnt like his nephew becasue his sister died in childbirth and his former fiance worked in a misson for the poor. These elements would have added more emotion to the story line. Regardess I would see it again. But, I do agree it is not for small children it was quite scary in parts and when the gost of Christmas Present dies its creepy. All in all it was really well done it did make me shed a tear when he comes to his nephews home for Christmas dinner. Positive - I agree that it is not a film for very young children. More for young adults and adults. Definitely some scary scenes and imagery. I feel like this film was technically well done, although Zemeckis' other attempt at 3D (“The Polar Express”) had the same problem with characters' eyes seeming lazy or off kilter. The music is superb and has beautiful inclusion of many christmas carol themes. The film doesn't seem to shy away from the religious overtones of the story, and there are even flashes of brilliance in the way that the Ghost of Christmas Past says, “I am,” and “Arise and walk…” to Scrooge's excuses to not leave his bed. Later, after the Ghost of Christmas Present goes away, it just sort of lacks strong story and personal development with Scrooge's character. He becomes so submissive and it is hard to accept the change that has occurred. The film sort of falls flat towards the end in the way it ends abruptly. So, while it does strongly promote Christian ideals, it could have done it slightly better. But as I've always said, it is easy to criticize a film, and really hard to make one. Positive - Although it is not child-friendly like Zemeckis' previous Christmas film, “The Polar Express,” it's still a treat to watch, especially in 3D (there is hardly anything offensive; it's just that some kids might be scared by it). I believe Mr. Dickens would be flattered to see this latest film adaptation of his classic novel. I have only seen a few “Christmas Carol” movies that truly capture the despicable nature of Ebenezer Scrooge; this one seems to present Scrooge beyond a one dimensional character (coming from a literary standpoint). Positive - I just viewed this film with my three children ages 11, 8, and 6. While I must agree with others that this movie is quite darker than expected from the premiers I was pleasently surprised at how closely it follows the classic story even using actual dialogue. My 8-year-old did get scared at some of the darker moments but overall she enjoyed it. I really appreciated the Christian undertones as well as the traditional church Christmas music that was chosen to accent the movie. Positive - NOT A MOVIE FOR CHILDREN!!!… I honestly can't believe that the original reviewer suggests to bring the whole family. It is very scary! That being said, this movie is amazing. If you have teens or are an adult who loved the book, it is fantastic. I loved it. Neutral
none Negative
Negative - Those tying together a great book by Dickens, great actors, a top comedic star like Jim Carey, and in a Disney film thinking it'll be good entertainment for children are going to be severely disappointed. This is simply too dreary of a retelling of this classic tale. It is so good to see a film that acknowledges Christmas, and this one did. There was one scene that dwelled on the cross on top of a church steeple. The joy of Christmas was in the air at the end of the film. There were lovely Christmas Carols sung as background music. These things I greatly appreciated and was so glad to see come out of an otherwise decadent Hollywood. Negative - I have always loved the Christmas Carol Story and do agree with what it stands for. I merely want to warn parents that this film is not for small children. I went to see it with my 12 year old autistic child and quite frankly it frightened her. The story was very well done and held pretty true to the original. It just seemed a little dark for a Disney film. I just wish I had known before I let my child view it. I don't believe in exposing my children to things that cause them to fear. I know we live in a world where Harry Potter and Goosebumps are nothing to some children, and if that is true for your child, they could probably handle it. Negative - While I truly appreciate the amazing movie making quality of this film as well as it's portrayal of the original Dicken's story, this version is not for young children. The trailer makes the movie appear light and even comedic, which it was not. It's special effects are along the lines of those in a Pirates of the Caribean movie, with bodies disintegrating and the main character being in great peril. One intense scene comes toward the end when Scrooge is being sucked down into the earth in a graveyard and is begging the “spirit” to allow him to live. Negative - This movie is based on the original book and movie versions of the story. It is about the 3-D effects and little more. The plot is lacking and I felt emotionless throughout. There is a scene in which Scrooge is flying over the city with the ghost of Christmas present (that looks like a Norse God), and exclames: there is not place for them to go, or cook their food (referring to the poor and homeless)…the ghost of Christmas present replies: the thousands of supposed men of the cloth are resposible for this (this scene is referring to times in the not so distant past when stores and shops were closed on Christmas and Sunday's). I felt empty when leaving and morally spent. The movie was awful, but, I guess it reflects the religious attitudes of the times. Negative - I would agree that the over morale of the story (by Dickens) beckons reason to feel positive, but, and here comes the the but, and it is a big but! The movie is blasphemous. The spirits are more than spirits, they are alluded to as GOD(s), one spirit even identifies himself as “I AM” and Scrooge falls back, just as did the Roman Guards in the garden. The simple fact of the matter is that the movie defies the deity of Christ and ponders a post modern theology that can lead people astray and even leans towards the occult. If you take your children to this movie, you are inviting something into their lives that you will be certain to regret, not to mention the nightmares that will haunt them. My one praise for this movie, I did not take my kids, thank the Lord for that! Negative - Not for young children! Scary, dark, intense. Children were crying from fear in the audience. Views of death and afterlife not biblical. Comments from young people
Positive - The best thing about this movie was the animation, which was AWESOME! But sometimes I got the feeling that the creators worked so hard on the animation that they didn't spend as much time on the story (mainly on scrooge's redemption), so they just added alot of scary parts. Don't get me wrong, I did like this movie, but the Muppet version of A Christmas Carol will always be my favorite. And let me warn you, DO NOT TAKE YOUNG CHILDREN TO THIS MOVIE! It had several parts that made me shudder (the main part being when Marley's lower jaw breaks and almost falls off), and I'm almost 18! I think most adult fans of the Christmas Carol story will like this movie, especially if they like scary stuff. Neutral - I went to this movie with high hopes. I knew it was going to be a little creppy, and it was. I can tell you I liked it a litte bit, but I wished I would have saved my money and waited till video. This movie is geared for ages 10 and up in my perspective. But I know some people may enjoy it. Comments from non-viewers
Bizarre though it may be to submit a review of a film that I have never seen, I just wanted to throw in a theological consideration that Christian parents should consider when talking about this with their children - we had a profitable discussion of this with my kids when we saw the Muppet's Christmas Carol. The question is this - is A Christmas Carol about GRACE? How does Scrooge get “saved”? Answer—by turning over a new leaf. Is that the gospel? Discuss… I must begin by stating that I have not yet seen this movie, though I do plan to. However, while reading the reviews on this site, I also read summaries of the movie and other reviews on other sites. I base my opinion on what I read here, and there. I disagree with those viewers who state that this movie was either too scary, or too mystical, or whatever it is you say. So far, all reviews I have read (including this one) seemed to portray the story as being EXTREMELY close to Dicken's novel. I found this very refreshing to hear. Many film directors now are attempting to make movies based off of books (Where the Wild Things Are, Narnia, etc.) and are failing miserably. They seem to only care about the dollars and cents each brings in, rather than getting the author's story across. If this movie so closely follows the book, then how can you criticize it for being “too scary” or “too dark”? Dicken's books were never light-hearted. If you are going to criticize anyone, you ought to criticize him. |
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