I wasn't sure what to make of Rise of the Guardians before seeing it, because the only thing I really knew about it from the trailers is that all of the holiday "icons" get together - Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy - in order to save the children of the world. With movies like this, the end result could go either way, but I'm happy to say that this movie was both funny and also will hold the attention of both adults and kids. Pay close attention to who voices each character, too; I was unable to figure out any of them before I got home and looked it up online. Interestingly enough, the movie has a voice cast that in normal circumstances are very recognizable.
North (aka Santa, voiced by Alec Baldwin) is a Guardian, which means he protects children and makes sure they never stop believing in him or the other Guardians, which include the Easter Bunny (aka E. Aster Bunnymund, voiced by Hugh Jackman), Tooth (Fairy, Isla Fisher), and the Sandman. The Man in the Moon, however, has chosen a new Guardian to join their team: Jack Frost (voiced by Chris Pine), who has many unique traits: for one, he's invisible, and he also can turn anything to snow or ice. Jack Frost is kind of the "black sheep" of the Guardian family at first, but then they realize they need him to defeat Pitch Black, aka the Boogeyman (voiced by Jude Law), who is aiming to turn all of the Sandman's dreams that he gives children into nightmares, and to erase every child's beliefs in the Guardians.
The 3D effects in this movie were amazing and I loved seeing all the characters' "homes" too, especially Santa's (North's) and Tooth's. Tooth has actually been "out of the field" for quite a while - she has tons of mini Tooths that help collect teeth and give each owner their deserved quarter - and Santa has yetis that help make the toys and tiny elves that are more like servants, who were extremely cute.
Yes, see this movie, and see it in 3D if you can. The first half of the film was very funny, and although the laughs dwindle a bit in the second half, they still pop up from time to time. The voice cast were all very skilled in their roles - so much so that I didn't recognize any of them! - and the movie is visually appealing as well. Guardians is definitely not a bad option if you are looking for a children's movie to see, or even a movie for adults, at that, and with its strategic release right before Thanksgiving and Christmas, it should do well in the theater.
Rise of the Guardians is in theaters now and is rated PG with a runtime of 97 minutes. 3.5 stars out of 5.
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Liz Parker is a University of Michigan graduate with a degree in Creative Writing and Literature, and she loves going to the movies. Visit her at her movie blog Yes/No Films