The conceit has its charms but too much of this movie, directed by Peter Ramsey, is more clamorous than inspired, and little kids might find parts of it too scarily intense.
The film has a square-jawed elegance that occasionally hits a note of grandeur when it's not just being silly.
Chicago Tribune
November 30, 2012
Rise of the Guardians is harmless enough, and the lack of easy pop-culture jokes represents the post-Shrek direction of DreamWorks well enough. But this is the studio's least entertaining film.
Just interesting and colorful enough to hold a child's attention for 90 minutes but a thundering bore for anyone that's been around the cinematic block.
