Review of Rise of the Guardians (2012) by Maksim B — 14 Jun 2013

Funny and inventive, Rise of the Guardians is the kids' version of The Avengers, starring the most prominent kids heroes. Playful and with charming characters this winter adventure overcomes serious plot issues thanks to its tight pacing, memorable mascots and decent level of entertainment. It would certainly not become part of the all-time animated classics, but as a family entertainment for the youngest children it surely delivers what it promises.

The concept of using The Avengers "template" and bringing the most famous heroes from our early childhood together is promising and it captivates the attention from the very beginning. It takes some more time than normally, to get used to the colors and presentation of these heroes (especially the Russian accent of Santa), but throughout the movie the audience actually starts to enjoy the characters. Rise of the Guardians blends the playfulness of its characters with the story of saving the children's dreams and childhood by keeping them believing in those fantasy characters. Thus, the movie turns into an interesting call to preserve the real and innocent childhood of our kids.

It is debatable how successful was debutant director Peter Ramsey in delivering this message. The movie never really flops, but also it never completely impresses as its story-telling issues and lack of emotional load are compensated by the charismatic characters and a solid dose of fun. Its characters and fantasy heroes are the movie's biggest asset. The depiction of Santa may be a bit controversial, but Sandy and the Boogeyman are pleasure to be observed. This is especially valid for the Boogeyman, whose "Tim Burton-ian" depiction is a delightful reference to the dark influence of Tim Burton to the world of animation. Sadly, this is the only adult-related reference in the movie and this makes the whole delivery somehow uninteresting for older audience.

Rise of the Guardians is neither a remarkable, nor a bad animation. It is a passable one, which would be adored by young kids and easily forgotten by adults.