Blu-ray review: "Rise of the Guardians"

A version of this review appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.

“Rise of the Guardians” Limited Edition Easter Gift Pack

With its enchanting vision for and innovative reimagining of beloved childhood legends, DreamWork Animation’s “Rise of the Guardians” gleefully taps into the magic of youth.

Based on William Joyce’s “The Guardians of Childhood” book series, the computer-animated film’s painterly style often outstrips its rather conventional storytelling. But helmer Peter Ramsey (the TV movie “Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space”) takes a cue from the holidays represented in the family-friendly adventure, loading his big-screen directorial debut with so much whimsy, action and exuberance that youngsters in particular will happily overlook its shortcomings.

Clearly intended as a franchise starter, the setup story centers on the eternally young and perennially roguish Jack Frost (voiced with bracing verve by Chris Pine), your archetypical reluctant hero with a shadowy past, who delights in bringing snow days to the children of the world, even though they don’t really know about or believe in him.

When the malevolent fear-monger Pitch (Jude Law), AKA the Boogeyman, unleashes a new herd of nightmares — bad dreams that take the form of spooky horses — on youngsters across the globe, the legendary Guardians of Childhood spring into action.