Film Reviews

A Christmas Carol (2009)

• Rating:
• Director: Robert Zemeckis
• Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins
• Details: US/96mins (PG)

A great performance from a multi-tasking Carrey and sporadically stunning animation aside, this is a faithful adaptation that occasionally entertains. Robert Zemeckis has always been ignored when it comes to 'best of' directors list, which is rather unfair. The man is responsible for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump and the pioneering animated classic, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? After all. Lately, though, he's been focusing on his 3D motion capture filmmaking, which has so far yielded mixed results. By tackling a classic tale in A Christmas Carol, pulling in the masses hungry for that yuletide feeling was obviously the aim, but this is by no means a seasonal opus - despite the best efforts of Carrey and a hefty budget. Charles Dickens much adapted tale of miserable git Scrooge has been changed very little from its source material here, as Zemeckis seems more interested in showcasing his shiny new style of execution. Carrey plays no less than eight characters, including Scrooge himself, who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future one snowy Christmas Eve. The aim, y'see, is to release Scrooge of his miserly, tight-fisted ways so that he may be filled with the Christmas spirit, and not die a lonely old man. You can see why Zemeckis enjoys this innovative form of filmmaking, as it offers him more freedom to move his camera wherever he pleases - something he has always enjoyed. But, despite the quality of animation being stunning in some parts (Scrooge himself is extremely realistic), other characters appear somewhat soulless. What it does achieve unequivocally is a coherence with what would be special effects in a traditionally shot film, and the core story. All the ghosts look marvellous and Carrey embodies them with his a typically abrasive verve, managing to make each one feel somehow different. Where it really falls short is the supporting characters, with Bob Hoskins and Colin Firth reduced to glorified cameos - Tiny Tim, too, barely gets a chance to cough up a lung. But there is a reason this is a classic tale, as the story itself has proven time and time again to be ageless. It also comes in at a tight 96 minutes and doesn't outstaying its welcome, which a rarity with some of the modern indulgences of cinema. Whether or not this format will really catch on still remains to be seen, though.

Review by Mike Sheridan