Kernel Rating (out of 5): 
MPAA Rating: PG Length: 97 minutes
Age Appropriate for: 6+. Pretty appropriate for not-too-young children: there are some battle scenes, but they’re not graphic, and the instances of embracing and kissing are few and far between. Perhaps villain Pitch Dark will be intimidating in his resemblance to “Harry Potter” bad guy Voldemort, but he’s not terrifying. And ultimately, characters like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc., will connect most with children who still believe in that fantasy world.
‘Rise of the Guardians’ is colorful and energetic and a bonanza of 3-D sequences. But those nearly garish effects detract from the film’s storyline, which encourages children to believe in fantasy and use their imaginations but shortchanges them by creating a too-simplistic, too-busy atmosphere.
By Roxana Hadadi
Believing in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Sandman—what child doesn’t? But seeing Santa covered in tattoos, the Tooth Fairy with a bunch of itty-bitty helpers, the Easter Bunny as a little snarky, and Sandman as mute—that’s a little harder to believe. But 3-D explosion “Rise of the Guardians” makes a strong case for recasting childhood’s heroes as a little different from what you may remember.
