Rise of the Guardians is the latest William Joyce property to be adapted to the big screen, though I would caution that it’s a pretty loose adaptation. It’s a Dreamworks production, so the visuals are great. The story follows the Guardians of childhood – somewhat nebulously defined, but Santa (“North”), the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy are charged with protecting the children of the world. Santa is not your Norman Rockwell guy, but a tatted up, scimitar-wielding tough guy. The Easter Bunny is an Aussie rabbit that OF COURSE is armed with boomerags. You know what both of them do for kids. The Sandman makes sure there are sweet dreams, and the Tooth Fairy isn’t gathering teeth so much as good memories. The Man in the Moon acts as a guiding force for the Guardians.
Jack Frost is a wild card in the mix. He obviously has mystical powers, just like the Guardians, but he seems to just wander the world, invisible to everyone, causing trouble as a young man does. When Loki Pitch Black, the boogeyman, returns, the Man in the Moon makes Jack Frost a Guardian, much to the chagrin of the rest of the team. As you might expect, there is turmoil and strife, and Jack eventually learns who he is (oh yeah – he forgot his childhood before he became magic) and what his special talent is.
All in all it was an entertaining movie, though not one that has embedded itself in mine and my kids’ conciousness the way Despicable Me has, for example. If you are looking for a movie to see as a family over the holidays, this is a good choice.
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