I’ve been a passionate Rise of the Guardians fan ever since I saw it in the cinema with my dad and my sister 13 years ago.
But pretty much every time I bring it up in conversation with friends, almost no one has ever heard of it.
I’m astonished every single time this happens. How have so few people heard of this film, a beautiful animated DreamWorks production that is up there with the best?
The visuals blow me away every time I watch it (which I’ll admit I have done several times), and the story fills my heart with joy in a way that only a festive favourite could.
Not to mention, the cast is stacked. Chris Pine as Jack Frost, Isla Fisher as the Tooth Fairy, and Hugh Jackman as the Easter Bunny? Even if you know nothing else about this movie, that should be enough to pique your interest.
So here it is – my campaign for Rise of the Guardians to be acknowledged as one of the best Christmas films ever begins now. Strap into your sleigh.
Let’s start at the beginning – what this film is all about.
If you were to simply glance at the poster, it might look like way too busy a story. On top of the aforementioned characters, you also have Jude Law as Pitch (aka the Boogeyman), Alec Baldwin voicing Santa Claus, and the non-speaking Sandman.
Combining several different folklore characters and seasonal festivities might sound a bit too busy. But hey, The Nightmare Before Christmas did it by merging Christmas and Halloween, and so does Rise of the Guardians (which is set at Easter, despite being regarded as a Christmas film).
Our main character is Jack Frost. When we meet him in the present day, his focus in life is simply to cause near-harmless mayhem wherever he goes. Among his mischievous deeds, he sparks up snowball fights and helps kids avoid school with snow days. It’s all in good fun, and the children have a laugh.
The problem is that no one in our world can see him. The mystical individuals at the core of this story can only be seen by human beings if they’re believed in, and that’s where Jack falls short. An icy chip on the shoulder if I ever saw one.
In the midst of Jack’s troublemaking, the official Guardians of the world – Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Sandman – receive a warning that the villainous Pitch has reemerged after a significant time away.
The role of the Guardians is to protect all the children of the world, but Pitch poses a threat to them with his terrifying ability to turn their dreams into nightmares, and his powers have grown significantly since he was last around.
Overseeing the Guardians is the so-called ‘Man on the Moon’, an unseen figure who decides who becomes a Guardian. After the group is alerted to the rising threat of Pitch, a new Guardian is chosen. You guessed it: Jack Frost.
While the other Guardians all know who he is, as they’ve had chaotic run-ins over the centuries, they’re surprised by the selection… and he’s just as dumbfounded that he’s been chosen.
Jack’s the kind to shirk all responsibility and spend his days having as much fun as he can. However, when the situation calls for it, he proves that he can step up – but not without enduring some tough obstacles first.
The crux of the movie is a tale as old as time – the determined fight to triumph good over evil. There’s a reason why we’re drawn to stories that follow this formula, especially at this time of year. We all need a bit more hope in our lives.
I am a sucker for a brilliant animated film. I often feel that they are severely underrated and treated as though they’re inferior to live-action, when that isn’t the case. Some of my favourite movies of all time include the likes of How to Train Your Dragon and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. True cinematic masterpieces.
Sometimes, animation has the power to convey emotions in a way that live-action would struggle to replicate. In a tale as magical as Rise of the Guardians, I sure am glad they went down the animated route.
Another bugbear of mine is when people discard films because they’re supposedly ‘for children’. A film geared towards kids doesn’t mean it’s of a lower calibre. If you think it does, perhaps your inner child is in need of some nourishment.
Nonetheless, I can assure you that people of all ages would feel the impact of the powerful storytelling in Rise of the Guardians. As is often the case in an animated film, there are moments where the plot goes in a surprisingly dark direction, and you might find yourself even tearing up a little bit.
I’m not going to go too deep into how the movie unfolds, because the whole point of this spiel is to get you to watch it, and I don’t want to ruin that experience for you with heavy spoilers.
If you’re after some whimsy this Christmas, playfulness, magic, exciting action sequences, stunning visuals, and a story that will leave you feeling hopeful and empowered, this film will give you all that and more.
Rise of the Guardians can be rented or bought on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Sky and NOW.
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