A Christmas Carol (2009)

OPENING: 11/06/2009

STUDIO: Disney

RUN TIME: 96 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Bah. Humbug.

Opening Statement
At this point, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been told and re-told so many times it must be nearly as familiar as the story of the nativity. We know the plot by heart: a mean-spirited miser treats everyone miserably, is haunted by three spirits who show him the error of his ways, and then is redeemed and begins to show benevolence to those around him. Personally, I think the story (at least cinematic adaptations of it) ought to be put on hiatus, along with toy franchise adaptations and horror films in which the villain declares everything is just a twisted game.

The Case
Nonetheless, here is director Robert Zemeckis providing us with yet another version, predictably crafted via his much-loved motion-capture format. While I remain convinced we don’t need another Christmas Carol and that the motion-capture format is creepy and off-putting in numerous ways, Zemeckis has made a rather respectable adaptation.

Because the story has been remade so many times, minor variations are generally thrown in to distinguish one adaptation from another. Zemeckis grants himself only one significant indulgence: having Scrooge fly through the air like a geriatric Superman as the spirits transport him from place to place. Otherwise, the film is a remarkably faithful and accurate portrayal of the Dickens tale. I scoffed when I saw an interview in which Jim Carrey claimed Zemeckis was bringing what Dickens intended to the big screen, but I dare say it comes pretty close. Well, at least on a technical level. On the surface, everything seems just about right. The characters look the parts, the dialogue is convincing and era-appropriate, and the computer-generated version of London is nothing short of breathtaking in its detail.

So why is it that I felt so thoroughly unmoved? You may say I’m just another Christmas-hating Scrooge, but that isn’t true. I’m up for a good holiday film as much as the next person, but this version of A Christmas Carol just seems a tad too staged. It’s far more impressive on a certain level than say A Muppet Christmas Carol, but lacks the soul of that film. From Alan Silvestri’s carol-heavy score to the Ghost of Christmas Present’s hearty laugh, everything feels slightly forced. Perhaps the biggest problem is in the casting. Jim Carrey is wrong for the role of Scrooge. His English accent is hokey and unconvincing, and the whiny tone of voice he gives the character grows wearisome rather quickly. The likes of Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, and Colin Firth all excel in their small parts, but it’s up to Carrey to keep things afloat (particularly considering he also plays all of the spirits), and he never manages to really sell any of his parts. I suspect he was cast not because he was the best fit for the part, but because the film needed an A-list star to ensure some measure of box office security.

I hate to see the level of painstaking detail and care Zemeckis has put into this film go to waste due to an ineffective lead performance, but there it is.

The Verdict
6/10