The Polar Express is a great family movie for the Christmas holiday, with this animated adventure being fun for all ages. With a great range of characters, clear moral lessons, and a blend of comedic and emotional moments, this movie really has something for everyone.
With it being a Christmas movie, there's no distinct villain for people to dislike here, with the focus all being on the journey to Santa and the highs and lows that come with that. Of course, it's not a smooth journey, and there are some bumps in the road which create great twists, and the ways in which the characters behave certainly impact how likable they all are.
Hobo
Speaking of the Hobo, he's a tough character when it comes to likability because there are moments when he is nice, providing sound advice that could make people like him. However, at the same time, he can be very creepy and cruel, which makes him unlikeable, especially when he uses the Scrooge puppet.
He really does provide the questions that Hero-Boy is thinking inside his own head, often acting as his moral thoughts when he appears. While Hobo often speaks sense and does give some smart comments, on the whole, he's not that nice of a person.
Know-It-All Boy
Know-It-All Boy is one of the children that gets heavily focused on within the train, and, as is made evident by his name, he is one of those people who has an answer for absolutely everything. Because of that, he can be quite an annoying character throughout the movie.
He often looks at the negatives and the worst possible outcome for most of the things he does and says, and he doesn't tend to see the magic or joy in certain situations. However, that is something he does improve upon throughout the movie, and he does show plenty of redeeming qualities, as well, proving himself to be a good friend in the end.
Steamer & Smokey
Steamer and Smokey are the two men responsible for driving the train to the North Pole and can be found in the cab, ensuring that there's enough coal to keep things going. While they don't get to showcase too much of their personality, they are certainly nice enough.
The duo adds a comedic element to the movie during their moments, as they have a funny argument with each other as they work hard to ensure the train is able to keep going despite all of the setbacks. They're two very memorable ing characters, and they're certainly firm favorites with audiences.
Santa
Santa might not be in the movie for long, but his scene is certainly an impactful one. The Polar Express version of Santa is one of the kindest, most honest, and most thoughtful in movie history, knowing exactly the right things to say to Hero-Boy in order to wrap up the story perfectly.
He has all of the classic traits that people know and expect from Santa as well. He's jolly and kind, and, whenever the traditional version of Santa is shown like this, he is always one of the most likable characters in a movie.
Conductor
Tom Hanks takes on a lot of roles within this movie, but the one he's most well-known for doing is the Conductor. The energy and charisma that everyone knows and loves Tom Hanks for having just oozed through the character of the Conductor.
He's the one who is in charge of the train itself, ensuring that it makes it to the North Pole in time to meet Santa. But, he does much more than that, helping all of the children have a good time on board, while also teaching them important moral lessons, helping them leave the train as better people, which makes him very likable.
Billy
Billy, who is also known as Lonely Boy, is a very likable character in this movie, who is brought out of his shell by the kindness and comion of others. Initially staying on his own on the train, hiding in the back because he's so shy, Billy grows in confidence as the movie progresses.
He's shown to be an incredibly polite and honest young boy, and seeing him become visibly happier brings a lot of joy and heart to this movie. While he's not the lead character, his personal journey is arguably the most fun, and it certainly makes him a likable character.
Hero-Girl
While the characters in this movie aren't given names for everyone to attach to, the fact she's known as Hero-Girl should give a clear clue as to why she's very likable. Throughout the journey she proves herself to be incredibly kind, caring, and uplifting of others.
She's always looking out for other people and trying to find positive twists in situations, which inherently makes her very likable. Hero-Girl brings a lot of positivity to the movie and is one of the characters that have the self-believe and bravery to remain confident, even in some of the tougher situations.
Hero-Boy
Much like Hero-Girl, the main character of this movie isn't actually given a name, which shows the strength of the script as to why he's so easy to relate with. The movie is all structured around him, as he goes from being unsure if Santa exists to being the one to receive the first gift of Christmas.
Hero-Boy starts out quite unsure of himself, lacking in confidence and happy to question things. However, as the movie goes on, all of that changes, and seeing the journey he goes on allows audiences to connect with him. Despite any issues he might have, Hero-Boy does everything he can to help other people, no matter the consequences, which makes him very likable.
