I saw it today in 3D (which I don't regret).
Pros: Rise of the Guardians is a thrilling film full to the brim with escapism. The characters were engaging (design and voice), locations were fantastic and score was a dream. The overall animation is splendid; I was smitten immediately by the fluidity in the sand. I happy to say that heart of
William Joyce's style is preserved throughout the picture. Example: The Sandman/Sandy – who might be my favorite character – look almost identical to his book counterpart. If it's your liking I recommend 3D. For this movie it works grandly.
Cons?: The humor appealed to me; I was laughing at most intentional jokes. I've read comments that said there was too many pop culture jokes. I must not have caught them because I can't even count them on one hand. The comedy was mainly character driven.
Another possible drawback is that the movie follows MARVEL's
The Avengers. The similarities with the two are unavoidable. Synopsis: The
Guardians protect the Earth from an evil villain whose main weapon is fear. (Loki and The Boogeyman/Pitch Black are practically synonymous.) Even so like
The Avengers it's held together by the chemistry of the main characters, glimpses of their history and hero vs. villain sequences.
I saw an afternoon showing and so as to be expected the audience was mainly kids. During one particular scene I was taken aback by the amount of tears in the theater; Two child voices were sobbing. It's hard to count a movie as a fail when it draws such a heartfelt emotion from children.
Not much that I can find fault with in the movie. It's a given that the hero's going the win, yet it's the journey that's going to stay with you. I savored this one. Sweet dreams everyone.