All Critics (143)
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Top Critics (28)
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Fresh (106)
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Rotten (37)
Less-than-compelling storyline.
Rise of the Guardians is harmless enough, and the lack of easy pop-culture jokes represents the post-Shrek direction of DreamWorks well enough. But this is the studio's least entertaining film.
The conceit has its charms but too much of this movie, directed by Peter Ramsey, is more clamorous than inspired, and little kids might find parts of it too scarily intense.
The script seems to have been written by committee, with members lobbying for each major character, and the action, set in vast environments all over the map, spreads itself so thin that a surfeit of motion vitiates emotion.
Too cluttered and manic to bring real pleasure.
A children's fable reimagined as a superhero flick--a peculiar but delightful hybrid that just may be the best animated offering of the year.
DreamWorks' newest picture is definitely one for the kids, but director Peter Ramsey makes it fun enough to put a smile on parents' faces.
An entertaining experience, whether you see it in 3-D or 2-D, 'Rise of the Guardians' is an enjoyable adventure for all ages.
The animation's usually a visual delight. There's enough visual spark and inventiveness to make this animated adventure rise above the Christmas crowd of flicks.
Alas, a sweet heart and a tender message aren't enough to save Rise of the Guardians from its overly sugary ways.
Rise of the Guardians delivers a giddy, kinetic excitement as its heroes whoosh and swoop through the air, or glide and skitter on ice.
In one of the best, brightest, most beautifully realised and visually sumptuous tentpole animation films of the year...an absolute joy to behold, as lovingly made a piece of corporate entertainment as you're likely to find at the multiplex.
One of the best surprises of 2012.
Delivers an entertaining twist on the fabricated mascots that kids will enjoy.
From the wind rustling through Jack Frost's white hair to the panoramic vistas as they fly through the sky, it all looks amazing.
Whatever its agenda might (or might not) be, Rise of the Guardians is a surprisingly rousing tale with a story that resonates easily, if not deeply.
Rise of the Guardians is both reasonably quirky and mildly serious. It wants children to believe there's more to animation than fast food tie-ins.
This lovely fantasy has been brought to beautiful 3D life by Peter Ramsey, the visual effects are really something.
The villain begins by kidnapping Tooth's worker fairies: it's never clear how she's so human-sized and they're all fairy-sized and have no voices, or how they're the workers and she's management.
More exhausting than exciting, but there are enough amusing gags to prevent on-the-fence viewers -- and critics -- from going full Scrooge on the final product.
Youngsters will enjoy the diversion with the film's cute characters and creative visuals although there is a frenetic feel about the action that tends to overwhelm the story on an emotional level. As a result, there is little heart that resonates
While the concept is novel - and the animation often dazzling - the story and characterisations soon prove trite, condescending and dull.
An unusual 3D tale about a playful free spirit who is thrilled to become a Guardian who watches over children.
Rise of the Guardians is kind of like The Avengers, except that instead of superheroes, the characters are people your parents lied to you about when you were a kid. It could become a perennial family favorite.
A visual feast and a serious miscalculation: The movie tells us that if kids don't get toys and colored eggs, they stop believing, and Christmas and Easter die.
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Top Critic
It sounded a bit whimsical and babyish at first but the animation looked so good I gave it a go. First impressions were 'holy Buzz Lightyear!!', the visuals in this film are fudging excellent!!. This film looks sharp and crisp believe me, its a feast for the eyes on every level and in every sequence. Either when the atmosphere is fun and joyous or when it dark, brooding and nightmarish, it all looks tremendous.
Not only are the colours beautiful and animation slick, the characters all look good too! and that includes the human characters which often aren't as exciting as the fantasy ones. There is almost a Disney look about the humans here, the big clear eyes, smooth faces, plus 'The Boogeyman' looks very much like 'Hades' from 'Disney's Hercules'. Not only do all the characters look good but their facial expressions are really well done too, right down to the smallest change depending on the emotion eg. raising an eyebrow or shaking of the head. I think what they have managed to do is get the voices synced precisely with changing facial expressions, this is why it looks so flawless, very impressed.
The odd thing about this film is the legendary characters, I dunno if they are like this in the book but there are some strange ideas here. While 'Jack Frost' is imagined nicely, almost like a winter elf of sorts, the others are...curious. Good old Santa or 'North' is made out as a huge bearded old fella as expected but he's...Russian??. A thick Russian accent, carries Russian swords into battle, wears a thick black traditional Russian hat (Cossack Cap hat I think) and his traditional Santa suit of red n white trim now has thick black furry trim giving that Soviet military feel. But I gotta admit it lends well to the cold, snowy, frozen image of his background. Oh and one more thing...he has tattoo's on his forearms, yep you read that correctly, 'naughty' and 'nice' tattoo's on each forearm that look like they are part of sleeves actually!.
Next up is the Easter Bunny or 'E. Aster Bunnymund'. Now this guy also has some kind of tribal markings on his fur in various places, dresses like a 'wookie', has an Australian accent and carries two boomerangs into battle. The Tooth Fairy 'Tooth', looks a bit like a mermaid crossed with a hummingbird and is very colourful, she has hundreds of little baby Tooth Fairies that assist her. Lastly we have the Sandman 'Sandy', a short tubby little fellow who is completely sandy in colour and communicates via sand images that he conjures above his head.
A weird set of ideas for traditional characters of lore but this is what I liked about the film to be honest. Yes the plot is completely mundane and has not one inch of originality in its run time, the good guys team together to beat the bad guy, high points, low points, high points once more for the finale, good guys win, the end.
Nothing remotely surprising or unpredictable so don't think otherwise. Its the spectacle and characters that are the winner for me, some lovely moments that will make you smile or put a lump in you're throat. As said the way the characters have been approached are bizarre but original (only original thing here), the tiny little jingle bell hat wearing elves that help Santa are great for a giggle, the yeti's that also help Santa are a fun touch too. Must also gives kudos for the voice casting which really combines to make the characters well rounded, haven't heard such good voice work for ages. Jackman manages his Aussie accent again whilst Baldwin is really good as a Russian Santa (didn't even realise it was him!).
Total feel good film with grade A standard animation from Dreamworks (one in the eye for Pixar). I mean really, if you didn't like this then you gotta be a bit cold inside, sure its a soppy kids film but the crack team of elite holiday guardians put a smile on my face. I really wanted to see more guardians but to be honest I struggled to think of anymore, a Leprechaun was mentioned for St Patrick's Day, I presume...maybe a red dragon for St George's Day? I'm sure there are some other good foreign ones. But yeah, totally 'The Avengers' for the very young, I like it.