The Polar Express (2004)
A journey like you’ve never imagined.
When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 10 November 2004 |
| Genre | Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy |
| Director | Robert Zemeckis |
| Starring | Tom Hanks, Leslie Zemeckis and Eddie Deezen |
| Runtime | 100 min |
| Rated | G |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.4/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 56% · Metacritic 61/100 · TMDB users 6.7/10 |
| Budget | $165 million |
| Box office | $311 million worldwide |
Where to watch The Polar Express
The Polar Express is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Max is $18.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 1 November 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent The Polar Express on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Polar Express in 38 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | Prime Video, Max |
| Australia | Binge $19.00 AUD, Foxtel, Max $15.99 AUD |
| Austria | Max €11.99 |
| Belgium | Netflix €10.99, Max €10.99 |
| Brazil | Globoplay R$24.90 |
| Canada | Prime Video $9.99 CAD |
| Cyprus | Max |
| Denmark | Viaplay 159 kr DKK |
| Estonia | Max |
| Fiji | Max |
| Finland | Viaplay €13.99 |
| France | Max €10.99 |
| Germany | Max €11.99 |
| Greece | Max |
| Hong Kong | Max |
| Iceland | Viaplay 799 kr ISK |
| India | Jiohotstar |
| Indonesia | Max |
| Ireland | Skygo, Max |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Latvia | Max |
| Liechtenstein | Max |
| Lithuania | Max |
| Luxembourg | Max |
| Malaysia | Max |
| Monaco | Max |
| Norway | Viaplay 169 kr NOK |
| Pakistan | Max |
| Papua New Guinea | Max |
| Philippines | Max |
| Portugal | Max €9.99 |
| Singapore | Max |
| Spain | Prime Video €4.99, Max €10.99 |
| Sweden | Viaplay 169 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Max CHF16.90 |
| Taiwan | Max |
| Thailand | Max |
| United Kingdom | Max £9.99 GBP, Skygo |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Robert Zemeckis directed this 100-minute animated adventure, a film that leans hard into the uncanny valley of performance capture. It is a fantasy about belief, told with the specific texture of a memory you are trying to keep from fading. The pacing is deliberate, almost hypnotic, which can feel like a test of your patience as much as your imagination. It is not a subtle picture, but it commits fully to its own strange, shimmering logic.
What the critics said
The reviews split, which is tidy. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 56% as of 2024, while Metacritic lands on 61 out of 100 as of 2025. The consensus leans on the visuals, not the faces. Roger Ebert saw a "haunting, magical quality" that defied the usual jolliness. Peter Travers, less charmed, called it "a failed and lifeless experiment." The characters, some argued, hovered in the uncanny valley. It is a film that either holds your hand or lets it slip, depending on your tolerance for digital elfin.
How it did with audiences
The budget hit $165 million, and the worldwide take came in at $311 million. That math works out to a profit, though not the kind that makes executives dance. TMDB users score it 6.7, a number that sits comfortably in the middle of the road. The opening weekend was quiet, placing second behind The Incredibles.
What came next for the cast
Tom Hanks had just delivered Forrest Gump and The Green Mile. Afterwards, the credits list The Da Vinci Code, Captain Phillips, and Sully. Nona Gaye, by contrast, stepped out of The Matrix sequels and into a quieter lane, appearing in Crash and xXx: State of the Union before landing a role in Blood and Bone. The timeline does not prove the train caused the pivot. It simply tracks where the lives went next.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Polar Express.
Sources
- The Polar Express on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q862197 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Polar Express (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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