A festive favourite chuffs back into Cineworld Cinemas today for its 10th anniversary reissue. Robert Zemeckis’ The Polar Express stole gasps of sheer amazement from young audiences on its original release thanks to an audacious combination of classic Christmas magic and state of the art Mo-cap – all parceled up with lashings of Tom Hanks. But can the Express’s charm stand the test of time and will the decade old effects still dazzle tech-savvy audiences today? The answer is a tentative yes.

In the wee hours of Christmas eve night a young boy (Daryl Sabara) lies awake in his bed, locked in an emotional tug of war over the existence of Santa Claus. His sister is still a fervent believer but the boy’s unquestioning faith in magic has wavered. He yearns to hear sleigh bells but knows, deep in his heart, that they will not ring for him. And they do not. In their place comes the industrial dragon roar of a mighty steam train and the impatient watch tapping of its conductor. If the boy needs proof that Santa exists, why The North Pole is the only logical destination. All aboard The Polar Express!

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Flouting the Danger Stranger code – and the constraints of common sense – the boy boards the train and it whisks him from the safety of his neighborhood into an indulgent wonderland of hot chocolate, singing waiters, ghostly consciences and heartstopping adventure. The carriage is filled with the chatter of excited children and he finds a kindred connection in a sweetly generous little girl (Nona Gaye) who encourages him to embrace every twist and turn of the impossible rollercoaster ride. The pair team up to help a younger boy from a deprived neighborhood find the courage to board. The gift of friendship they extend to him is as life changing as the first glimpse of Santa.

Don Burgess and Robert Presley’s cinematography fills The Polar Express to stocking-bursting capacity with beauty, peril and magic. Working with Rick Carter and Doug Chiang’s production design, they breathe breathtaking life into an immersive world which whips along at a pace peppy enough to keep even the smallest eyes wide and engaged. The source material – Chris Van Allsburg’s enchanting children’s book – is (for the most part) respectfully expanded upon with text from the story enlivening the adaptation. And Alan Silvestri’s music is a sheer guilty pleasure of bells and chilly sparkles of adrenalin. Every ingredient is present in perfect proportion to produce an instant Christmas classic. Does it deliver? Ish.

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Young viewers will inhale the wonder and exhale joy, exactly as they do with every page turn of the book. An adult audience will sadly experience something a little different. Just as grown ups cannot hear the ringing of the boy’s precious silver bell – encapsulated in a poignant epilogue – so the blinkers of Christmas spirit fail to properly fit us here. Chinks of displeasure wander into the periphery. Because those ten years have failed to erode likability into faces rendered sinister by CGI. They haven’t toned down the eerie adult (nails/chalkboard) quality Eddie Deezen brings to the voice of the Know-it-All boy or the sucker punch of horror when it dawns on you that the excruciatingly tacky rock ‘n’ roll elf really IS Steven Tyler. And Tom Hanks ubiquity has yet to make any sense at all.

It is a conundrum indeed – but we all know what to do – Christmas is a season of giving after all. If you strategically squint at the characters on screen and focus on the delighted faces of the kids at your side, you’ll survive the ride. The Polar Express will match every cynical eyebrow raise and shudder of revulsion with a moment of pure pleasure. And, for all its disjointed, Hanks-heavy, absurdity The Polar Express is chock full of loveliness too. A simple duet sung by the little Hero Girl and the Lonely Boy (Peter Scolari) is indescribably moving and Father Christmas’s stride onto an elf-stuffed square is guaranteed to bring out the child in us all. Just don’t attend alone.

The Polar Express will stop at Cineworld Cinemas today before setting off nationwide.