A couple of quick numbers for you. 29 - the amount of film and TV adaptations of ‘A Christmas Carol’ in the last 20 years; and 49 - the number of days before Christmas this film is released. Even with the power of the Disney Empire behind it, can Robert Zemeckis take a story that’s been told many times before, tell it differently, and make people want to see it seven weeks before December 25th?

Shot with Zemeckis’ beloved motion-capture animation (‘The Polar Express’, ‘Beowulf’), it’s the story you probably know backwards. Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) is a tight-fisted, wicked old banker that hates Christmas. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by his deceased partner Jacob Marley (Gary Oldman) and told he will be visited by three spirits (all played by Carrey). Visiting various Christmas scenes from his life, the ghosts attempt to show Scrooge the error of his ways, and the true spirit of Christmas.

Whilst it may not be perfect, the film delivers. Firstly, the exquisite animation and 3D technology mean the film is not simply an ‘animated’ film. The lighting, camera angles and general mood make it almost feel like live action. On the second front, it’s the darkest version of the story in years. What other Disney film begins with a shot of a corpse? It is scary, but lest you forget it is a ghost story, and Dickens meant for you to be a little scared. Odd action sequences feel a little pointless, but overall it’s a brave direction to go in.

Whenever Jim Carrey is cast in a film, you always fear it will feature flailing limbs and face pulling, and his portrayal of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future are a little odd (particularly the echo-y Irish accent he puts on when playing ‘...past’). But his Scrooge is unnerving, because he approaches it in a different way. He’s not an a-list star with a scowl and false white sideburns. He’s a nasty, horrible, decrepit old man who comes across as despicable for a majority of the film, and therefore all the more uplifting at the film’s climax. Colin Firth puts in a solid but brief performance as Scrooge’s nephew; and Gary Oldman is sombre and earnest as Bob Cratchit.

A very interesting take on an old classic, and reminds you why people liked it in the first place. The scarier scenes show a bit of daring, and Carrey impresses overall despite some silly moments. It may still be a while before Santa Claus comes to town, but thanks to this entertaining film you may be getting in the spirit sooner than you think.

A Christman Carol is out November 6.