Movie rating: 3 and half Star

Rise Of The Guardians

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Jack Frost (Chris Pine) is having fun causing snow days and starting snowball fights all over the world, but is having trouble dealing with the fact that no child actually believes he exists. This is not a problem that the Guardians have; as Santa (Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) and the silent Sandman are given power by the children’s belief in them. But it is this power that the Boogeyman (Jude Law) wants to steal for himself, so the Guardians enlist Jack Frost in an effort to combine forces and defeat the Boogeyman before he replaces all hope on Earth with fear.

What follows is a battle of good-vs-evil, with the idea of turning these well-known characters into super-heroes and super-villains an inspired one. The story they’re tacked on to, however, is a little flustered; there’s an awful lot of intricacy to the Boogeyman’s plot, but there’s no real sense of where the movie is going next, as some characters and story-lines can be picked up and then unceremoniously dumped with no reason or rhyme. Despite this, it still moves along at a fair old pace, and while there are some lulls between the genuinely impressive fight sequences, you’ll never be out and out bored.

Visually, Rise Of The Guardians is stunning. The character work is hugely impressive; giving these set-in-their-ways characters a complete overhaul, especially with Santa turned into a kick-ass, dual-sword wielding Dr Zhivago. On top of that, the A-List cast do some great voice work, with special mention to Jude Law for making his Boogeyman so deliciously evil. But the best characters, and the biggest laughs, come from those who can’t speak; the hugely huggable Sandman, the high-energy Santa’s elves, the girly squee’s from Tooth Fairy’s Hummingbird Helpers… expect a lot of these to be demanded in teddy-bear form this Christmas.

Which brings us to the last ingenious move of Rise Of The Guardians; despite the presence of ice, snow and Santa, the movie is actually set around Easter, making it a dual-season must-watch. And unlike recent holiday-aimed movies like Arthur Christmas and Hop, Rise Of The Guardians is one the parents won’t mind watching alongside their kids.

Review by Rory Cashin | 09:00 | Friday 30th November 2012 | Movie Review

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Comments

• Zoffy

  Another one for the Kids.

  Posted 11:03 | Sat 23rd Jun 2012

• Brigitte Farmer

  This movie was absolutly adorable!!!!!! Such a wonderful movie to go see with your kids or on your own. Loved this movie so adorable and heart felt and the characters are absolutly heart warming. Definatly a must see for everyone.

  Posted 03:17 | Mon 26th Nov 2012

• justme

  i'm looking forward to going to see this film with my daughter. Great to start out Christmas day out and get us in the xmas mood.

  Posted 17:41 | Sun 2nd Dec 2012

• bluefizz

  this is going to be a great comedy film to watch

  Posted 21:16 | Fri 30th Nov 2012

• Connie Gibbons

  Girl's Night Out!

  Posted 01:43 | Wed 28th Nov 2012

• Dermott Marron

  Taking my to nephews to see tis tonite in the cinema, hope its good. It will help keep me wise to...lol.

  Posted 17:15 | Fri 30th Nov 2012

• T.T

  Looking forward to bringing my two boys to see this film, it will be the first time my younger son has been to the cinema, (fingers crossed he wont get scared in the cinema) . Merry Christmas HO HO HO

  Posted 13:05 | Mon 3rd Dec 2012

• SugarPlum

  Saw this over Christmas with the kids, aged 4 and 7....we all absolutely loved. A new classic!!!

  Posted 23:34 | Sun 6th Jan 2013

• SugarPlum

  Saw this over Christmas with the kids, aged 4 and 7....we all absolutely loved it. A new classic!!!

  Posted 23:34 | Sun 6th Jan 2013

• Liliana Valencia

  Best movie I've seen so interesting leaves kids and adults at the edge of there seats it did to me and it was absolutely incredible I hope there is a number 2 I would definitely watch it I recommend to bring alot o people with you (especially kids):)

  Posted 00:13 | Mon 31st Dec 2012

• Heather Greenley Rendall

  We loved this movie, we took our 9 year old daughter to see it and she enjoyed it too.

  Posted 11:32 | Mon 4th Mar 2013

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