Motion-capture technology has progressed to the point where the characters that are created by the scanning-and-acting, computer-generated process now move smoothly, appearing more like real human beings and other creatures than video-game "avatars."

However, as the new, animated adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol" proves, animators and filmmakers still have a long ways to go in terms of emotion capturing.

The characters in this film are the same, dead-eyed automatons that were seen in the animated features "The Polar Express" (2004) and "Beowulf" (2007). Their rather inhuman look also adds another layer of creepiness to a film that's already a little unsettling as it is.

Worse, it's an unengaging, dull adaptation that has nothing really new to say in regards to the already-much-told tale.

Jim Carrey provides both the look and the voice for eight characters, including different variations on — and ages of — miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.

It's Christmas Eve, and Scrooge is reluctant to let his assistant, Bob Cratchit (the voice and face of Gary Oldman), have the holiday off.

However, Scrooge may have cause to reconsider. He's just been visited by the specter of his former partner, Jacob Marley (Oldman again).

Marley warns the heartless Scrooge that he will be visited by three other ghostly apparitions.

The first of these is the Ghost of Christmas Past, which reminds Scrooge of his childhood and upbringing.

The second, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows him what is going on presently, without him being aware of it.

And the most feared of all, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, shows Scrooge what will become of him and others if he continues to favor profit over human interaction and charity.

Surprisingly, there's less of the lowbrow humor than you might expect from a Jim Carrey movie. In fact, there's only one sewage gag and one shot-to-the-groin bit.

But frankly, any humor would have been welcome in this dour mess. Screenwriter-director Bob Zemeckis was apparently so enthralled by using his digital "toys" that he forgot about coherent storytelling and character development.

If anything, this is another step backward in his new career as an animated filmmaker. And it's a major disappointment, given all the talented people who were involved (joining Carrey and Oldman are Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright Penn).

"A Christmas Carol" is rated PG and features slapstick violence (pratfalls and the likes), as well as some disturbing imagery (ghostly apparitions and the like), an off-color joke and references (the aforementioned sewage sequence), derogatory language and slurs, and scattered use of mild profanity. Running time: 96 minutes.

e-mail: jeff@desnews.com