disney rings in christmas early

For Disney, Christmas comes a little earlier every year.

The release of Disney’s newest film, A Christmas Carol, opened nationwide last weekend – a full three weeks before Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday season. Though the film’s holiday spirit may seem a bit premature, it didn’t stop A Christmas Carol from securing top honors at the U.S. Box Office its opening weekend with $31 million.

The movie, which follows the classic story by Charles Dickens, stars Jim Carrey as the voices of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (The Polar Express), the film takes a new twist on an old classic by venturing into the world of 3D cinema.

This approach, though it may seem unconventional for the time-honored Christmas tradition, proves valuable. Unlike the countless other movie renditions of Dickens’ novel, Zemeckis’ version immerses viewers in the film, making them feel as though they, too, are flying over London with Scrooge or feeling the wrath from the Ghost of Christmas Future as he eerily points to Scrooge’s dead body.

Scenes like this prove the film has a darker side that isn’t seen in previous versions like The Muppet Christmas Carol. Between creepy ghosts, dead bodies and a grave marking one’s descent into hell, this interpretation has some parents refusing to take their children to see the film.

And this criticism is perhaps warranted. At times, the special effects and grim subject matter may prove too much for younger viewers. The film earned a PG rating for a reason – it’s not a traditional feel-good family film along the same lines as Zemeckis’ The Polar Express. Scrooge’s problems are real, and each spirit that visits him will make viewers feel slightly more uncomfortable than the last, especially with the added 3D effects.

Still, the classic Christmas tradition rings true in A Christmas Carol, and for those parents who won’t let their children see the film – well, bah humbug to them.