FILM REVIEW- A Christmas Carol (2009)

A Christmas Carol (PG)

Where- In the cinema

Bah Humdrum?

Plot-

Scrooge (Carrey) is misanthropic banker in Victorian times, until he is visited by three spirits (Christmases Past, Present and Yet to come) on Christmas night to urge him to change his ways.

Review-

This classic Charles Dickens tale has been adapted for the big screen so many times it’s becoming a test to tell versions apart.

So the big question is what this latest effort from Robert Zemeckis does to stand out from the crowd.

The answer is, from a technical point of view, a lot. 3D, Body motion capture and Jim Carrey are all new. But in terms of memorable performances, witty scriptwriting and real heart it is severely lacking.

It’s hard to mess up a story this timeless completely, but this version is nowhere near as good as it should be.

One of the main problems is the whole body capture technique (real actors play out scenes are then made into cgi characters- see Beowulf or Polar Express). It lacks either the physicality of the best hand drawn toons, or the gritty realism of live action. It’s an interesting animation technique, but it’s stuck between two worlds and is not one thing or the other.

The films tone is also uncertain. Jumping from child-unfriendly shocks to pratfall slapstick in the blink of an eye it is the definition of schizophrenic.

Having a ghost’s jaw coming loose making him unable to talk sounds amusing but the film only treats it as a joke long after it has become disturbing. Also having one of the spirits laughing as he slowly decomposes until he is nothing but bones not only sends a shiver down your spine, but confuses you no end.

Who exactly is this film aimed at? Rated PG it seems to be family orientated but scenes such as the above seem to go beyond simple haunted house scares and into disturbing territory similar to Cronenberg.

If playing for an older audience the films inconsistent humour and poor character design may frustrate. The ghost of Christmas past is strange but ultimately dull, and characters such as Fezziwig and the ghost of Christmas present are simple photocopies from previous adaptations, adding little that is new.

But if you’re looking for an easy Christmas night out at the movies, this could satisfy. But if you want a version of Carol that does things a little differently and manages to pull it off, check out either the Muppets Christmas Carol or Scrooged.

Verdict- A decent enough version of a story that has been told one time too many… (2/5)

The trailer-