Rise of the Guardians
Movie, 2012, Originals
Rise of the Guardians is #25 of 51 in release order and #13 of 51 in chronological order in the DreamWorks Animation.
The story
When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.
Rise of the Guardians recap
Jack Frost is a spirit of winter who can bring snow and fun but whom no child can see. The Man in the Moon picks him to become a Guardian, alongside North (Santa), the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the silent Sandman. Jack does not want the job; he wants to know who he was before he woke up under a lake. Pitch Black, the Boogeyman, is spreading nightmares and stealing the tooth fairies, so children stop believing in the Guardians, who weaken as belief fades. Pitch kills Sandman. The Guardians try to save Easter and fail, and Jack is blamed. Through memories stored in his baby teeth, Jack learns he drowned saving his sister on the ice, which is why the Moon chose him.
Rise of the Guardians ending explained
Jamie Bennett, the last child who still believes, sees Jack. The children's belief restores the Guardians, Sandman returns and Pitch is overwhelmed by his own nightmares. Jack takes his oath as a Guardian, the guardian of fun. Before the Guardians leave, the children who now believe can see Jack for the first time, and he finally knows who he was and where he belongs. Jack narrates that this is the story of how he became a Guardian.
Post-credits scenes
During the credits, the Easter eggs, tooth fairies, yetis and elves carry sleeping children back to their beds. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Rise of the Guardians
Rise of the Guardians is streaming on YouTube (free) in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes 75%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, before The Croods.
- Chronological order: after Megamind, before Turbo.
What to watch before Rise of the Guardians
In release order, 12 DreamWorks Animation essentials come before Rise of the Guardians (2012), from Antz (1998) to Megamind (2010).
Cast
- Chris Pine as Jack Frost (voice)
- Alec Baldwin as North (voice)
- Jude Law as Pitch (voice)
- Isla Fisher as Tooth (voice)
- Hugh Jackman as Bunny (voice)
- Dakota Goyo as Jamie Bennett (voice)
- Isabella Blake-Thomas as British Girl (voice)
- Jacob Bertrand as Monty (voice)
- Khamani Griffin as Caleb (voice)
- Kamil McFadden as Claude (voice)
- Georgie Grieve as Sophie Bennett (voice)
- Emily Nordwind as Jamie's Mom / Jack's Mother (voice)
Directed by Peter Ramsey.