Despite being a made for TV effort, this movie excels in nearly every way. It's biggest drawback is the occasional special effects scene that shows its age and budget in a painful way. They are few and forgivable, however. Patrick Stewart plays the role a little masterfully - he knows exactly what he is saying and how he wants to say it in a way that shows he knows the role inside and out. Unfortunately sometimes that makes his performance feel a little canned, even though it is, indeed, excellent.
This version is extremely close to the source material, including little unusual details like Jacob Marley's jaw becoming unhinged for some unexplained reason that perhaps made more sense in the time it was written. It is fascinating to realize how many lines of dialogue we know so well are exactly the same in version to version, coming from the original book. Even the line "there is more gravy than grave about you," is there - something which I had originally thought was a clever cheesy line in the Muppets version only.
All in all, it has a very realistic, very British feel to it that is modern in its presentation but very old school at the same time, making for a very rewarding experience.
**** (4/5 stars)
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