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RISE OF THE GUARDIANSMovie Reviews
Animated family adventure about a group of storybook heroes who join forces against an evil spirit that wants to take over the world. Cast:Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher, Jude Law, Dakota Goyo, Stuart Allan, Isabella Blake-Thomas, Khamani Griffin, Dominique Grund, Kamil McFaddenDirector:Peter RamseyRelease Date:November 21, 2012DVD Release:March 12, 2013From:Dreamworks/ParamountRating:PGLength:1 hr 37 minIn 3D
Rise of the Guardians played to good not great reviews. • James Berardinelli wrote for Reel Views, "...enjoyable... not groundbreaking animation but a solidly entertaining 90 minutes for older children and adults." • And Alynda Wheat wrote in People, "...delivers a fresh take on the holidays... But know that this is a Christmas movie with edge..." More Reviews Below...
Rise of the Guardians Positive Reviews (40 Reviews, reviews below)
Alynda Wheat, People: VERY GOOD(cg) "...delivers a fresh take on the holidays... But know that this is a Christmas movie with edge, including gnarly fight scenes and fairy-tale figures that aren't exactly warm..."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 124 words, 11/22/12
Mary Pols, Time: FAIR "...highly contrived and often confusing... like most children's movies, the film mimics the patterns of adult entertainment. Where is the magic in that?"(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 889 words, 11/21/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a charming spectacle, if a little overloaded.... With its fanciful razzle-dazzle, this is appealing, if slightly hectic, family fare."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 450 words, 11/21/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...younger children will like the breakneck action, the magical ability to fly and the young hero who has tired of only being a name."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 11/21/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: VERY GOOD(cg) "...relatively triumphant and wholesome... The ratio of staggering craft to innocuous content brings this to a level of better-than-average-contemporary children's fare."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 649 words, 11/19/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...relies a bit too much on madcap flight sequences... but the character design has real warmth, and the animation is frequently witty and sometimes mesmerizing."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 657 words, 11/21/12
Kyle Smith, New York Post: POOR(cg) "This movie is so odd, it's like biting into what looks like chocolate ice cream and discovering it's peach. No, stranger than that: liver."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 656 words, 11/21/12
Roger Moore, Chicago Tribune: WEAK(cg) "...a confused ramble, more concerned with the mechanics of how Santa manages to make all those toys than with telling an interesting story."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 351 words, 11/21/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "This animated 3-D film is essentially a Marvel-ized version of old fairy tales... as with so many superhero movies, I fear the sequel."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 296 words, 11/21/12
Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine: VERY GOOD "...preserves just enough genuine childhood wonder in its whooshing, high-tech theatrics to make it a delight.... an effective combination of the new and old."(See all of Bilge Ebiri's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 656 words, 11/21/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...younger children will like the breakneck action, the magical ability to fly and the young hero who has tired of only being a name."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 11/21/12
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...sweet, fun... the film continues the migration of Dreamworks Animation away from broad jokes and obvious pop-culture references in favor of something more enduring."(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 210 words, 11/21/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...gets so many of the fundamentals right.... [still,] it feels patchy, and too reliant on the 'need to believe' hook it has brazenly lifted from 'Peter Pan.' "(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 11/21/12
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...feels formulaic and the believe-in-magic message is even more treacly... but give Peter Ramsey credit for his visual panache... Some of these images are too beautiful..."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 438 words, 11/21/12
Radheyan Simonpillai, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...occasionally delightful but often exhausting.... It tries to wrap so much kids' mythology into one holiday package that it can't avoid tangling the ribbons."(See all of Radheyan Simonpillai's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 223 words, 11/22/12
KEY CITIES (9 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a charming if slightly dark and cobwebbed animated feature about how believing in something makes it real, or real enough... a lovely and original tale."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 505 words, 11/21/12
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...enchanting.... The feeling of exhilaration and fun stays with you throughout this perfectly scaled film destined to become a classic."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 448 words, 11/21/12
Tom Russo, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...doesn't just coast on familiar Christmas and Easter lore, but instead puts Jack Frost at the center of its adventure."(See all of Tom Russo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 513 words, 11/21/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "These are some definitely fractured fairy tales. They have wit and snap though, and they breathe a good deal of real life into the film..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 521 words, 11/21/12
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...the story gets lost in a flurry of action and emotional cues.... at its best when it slows down, especially in one of the holiday-theme set pieces."(See all of Peter Hartlaub's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 512 words, 11/21/12
Jody Mitori, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an 'Avengers' for the grade-school set.... kids will focus on the adventure, the wondrous settings and the fun in seeing their idols on screen together."(See all of Jody Mitori's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 334 words, 11/23/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an old-fashioned outline for family fun that Peter Ramsey and screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire, adapting William Joyce's book, give pleasantly subversive twists."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 472 words, 11/21/12
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...sweet, fun... the film continues the migration of Dreamworks Animation away from broad jokes and obvious pop-culture references in favor of something more enduring."(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 210 words, 11/21/12
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: MODERATE(cg) "...has moments of genuine wonder and pathos... but it's so wrapped up in establishing its phony mythology that it's actual story is dangerously flimsy."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 561 words, 11/20/12
Tasha Robinson, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...relies too heavily on deus ex machina to earn its emotions or its resolution. But it does fairly earn rapt attention for a solid percentage of its gloriously frantic runtime."(See all of Tasha Robinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 523 words, 11/21/12
Ed Gonzalez, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...beautiful-looking if scarcely revolutionary... mercifully free of the 'Shrek' franchise's rabid and smug deployment of in-jokes and pop-culture references..."(See all of Ed Gonzalez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 11/20/12
Radheyan Simonpillai, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...occasionally delightful but often exhausting.... It tries to wrap so much kids' mythology into one holiday package that it can't avoid tangling the ribbons."(See all of Radheyan Simonpillai's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 223 words, 11/22/12
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: WEAK(cg) "...features frequent chase scenes... Ultimately the film's emotions feel even more programmed than its visual effects."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 599 words, 11/21/12
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...vivid.... the kinetic energy is matched by stunning design... Yet the movie lacks a resonant center. The script seems to have been written by committee..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 308 words, 11/23/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...relies a bit too much on madcap flight sequences... but the character design has real warmth, and the animation is frequently witty and sometimes mesmerizing."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 657 words, 11/21/12
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...colorful, strenuous and hyperactive... has moments of charm and beauty but often resembles an exploding toy factory rather than a work of honest enchantment."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 834 words, 10/11/12
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...an attractively designed but overly busy and derivative mishmash of kid-friendly elements.... the vocal performances have real color and a sense of fun..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 631 words, 10/11/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...relies a bit too much on madcap flight sequences... but the character design has real warmth, and the animation is frequently witty and sometimes mesmerizing."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 657 words, 11/21/12
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...vivid.... the kinetic energy is matched by stunning design... Yet the movie lacks a resonant center. The script seems to have been written by committee..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 308 words, 11/23/12
16.4 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Rise of the Guardians's reviews are separated by an average 16.4 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Rise of the Guardians (40 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Rise of the Guardians's reviews cover 79.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 18,887 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 472 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Rise of the Guardians Coverage, Volume & Length (40 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 13.1 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Rise of the Guardians's reviews on average broke 13.1 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Rise of the Guardians's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Rise of the Guardians (40 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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