Here's the thing about The Polar Express: it's a cultural touchstone that splits families right down the middle. Some kids watch it every Christmas and treasure the magic. Others have nightmares about Tom Hanks's uncanny-valley face(s) for years.

The story itself is simple and sweet—a doubting kid takes a magical train to the North Pole and learns to believe again. The message is genuinely lovely for that tender age when Santa belief is fading. But the execution is... divisive. The pioneering motion-capture animation that seemed cutting-edge in 2004 now feels creepy to many viewers, and several scenes (the ghost hobo, the wolves, the train on ice) are way more intense than parents expect from a 'wholesome Christmas movie.'

It's also slow. Like, really slow. Modern kids raised on Encanto pacing may tap out during the long atmospheric stretches. That said, if your kid vibes with it, it can become a beloved tradition with real emotional resonance about growing up while holding onto wonder.

Bottom line: Preview this one before family movie night. It's either going to be magical or you'll be dealing with 'why does Santa look like that?' for the next week.