“Spirited” it certainly is.

“Spirited” is an all-singing, all-dancing version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, time-traveling, ghosts and redemption.

It’s a high-energy movie, with dazzling choreography, catchy songs and great lead roles by Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, who could become the Hope and Crosby of the New Millennium.

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby starred in five light comedy (some Scrooge-like critics might say “slight comedy”) song and dance “Road to ... “ movies (1940-1952) and a sixth “Road to” movie in 1962.

Ferrell and Reynolds are such an amiable, likeable and credible pair in “Spirited,” it’s surprising they haven’t teamed up before. Here’s hoping they do so again.

“Spirited” takes liberties with the original Charles Dickens’ storyline. In this sense, it’s not unlike “Scrooged” (1988), starring Bill Murray, in which the setting was also updated to present-day (pun intended).

“Spirited” is a welcome addition to the canon of moves based on or inspired by Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

Some 50 movies are based on “A Christmas Carol,” with the earliest film released in the United States in 1908 that was based on Dickens’ 1843 novella.

The list includes: “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” (1962), an animated musical film starring Mr. Magoo as Scrooge; “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” (1983), an animated musical film starring Mickey Mouse and his Disney character friends; “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), starring the Jim Henson puppets, as well as Michael Caine as Scrooge; “Ebenezer” (1998), a western starring Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, native Jack Palance as Scrooge; “An All Dogs Christmas Carol” (1998), an animated feature; “A Diva’s Christmas Carol” (2000), starring Vanessa L. Williams; “Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas” (2006), an animated film, and “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” (2009), starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner.

How many “A Christmas Carol”-based movies have you seen? You could have “A Christmas Carol”-themed movie marathon for the holidays.

In “Spirited,” Ferrell plays the Ghost of Christmas Present, who in this version is said to have formerly been Ebenezer Scrooge. Present, as he is referred to, wants to retire.

Jacob Marley (Patrick Page) guides Christmas Present and the other Ghosts, Christmas Past (Sunita Mani), and Christmas Yet to Come (voiced by Tracy Morgan) in a quest to redeem one person each Christmas.

The latest prospect is Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), a media consultant, giving a speech to a convention of an association of Christmas tree-growers.

Briggs is so reprehensible, hence, unredeemable, that he advises his niece, Wren (Marlow Barkley), to post disparaging comments on social media about her opponent in a school’s student class president election.

Meanwhile, Christmas Present (Farrell) becomes enamored of Briggs’ assistant Kimberly (Octavia Spencer).

The plot points are connected, or some might say, interrupted, by songs, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Oscar recipients, original song, “La La Land”), and huge production numbers with people jumping out of their seats and dancing on tables and any available flat surface.

Among the standouts among the 11 songs in the movie that could enter the cabaret lexicon are “The View From Here,” sung by Spencer; “The Story of Your Life,” sung by Ferrell and Reynolds; “Unredeemable,” sung by Ferrell, and “Do A Little Good,” sung by Ferrell, Reynolds and the ensemble.

Director John Anders (director, “That’s My Boy,” 2012; “Daddy’s Home,” 2015; “Instant Family,” 2018) enthusiastically juggles dramatic scenes, song and dance numbers and plentiful Computer Generated Imagery.

The screenplay by Anders and John Morris (screenplay, “Hot Tub Time Machine,” 2008; “Daddy’s Home,” “Instant Family”) is wickedly funny in a good-natured way with lots of life lessons presented.

Ferrell plays the role more as a straight man than the adorable and doofus character he usually plays (for example, that other addition to the Christmas movie genre, “Elf,” 2003, that starred Ferrell).

Reynolds is his usual charming self, and again manages to make a dislikable character likeable.

Spencer is great in a supporting role.

Ferrell, Reynolds and Spencer acquit themselves well as singers. Ferrell and Reynolds kick up their heels like a pair of experienced hoofers.

“Spirited” should have a long life as a Christmas perennial. It could also become a nifty spinoff as a Broadway musical.

If you’re a fan of Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and-or “A Christmas Carol,” get in the spirit and put “Spirited” on your holiday movie watch list. You might even want to check it twice.

“Spirited,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for language, some suggestive material and thematic elements; Genre: Musical, Comedy; Run time: 2 hours, 7 minutes. Distributed by Apple TV+

Credited Readers Anonymous:

“Spirited” concludes with a black and white scene production number for the song, “Ripple” (not the Grateful Dead song). The movie was filmed on location in the Boston, Mass., area.

At The Movies:

“Spirited” was seen in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, SteelStacks, Bethlehem, in Dolby Surround 7:1, a great place to see the film. It was the perfect setting, with nearby Christkindlmarkt and The Ice Rink at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. I had the presence (pun intended) of mind to sit inside one of the see-through outdoor globes and walk through a big outdoor representation of a Christmas present outlined in sparkling lights. Yes, I was “Spirited.”

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

Dec. 16 - 18: The long-awaited sequel directed by James Cameron, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” opened at No. 1 with $134 million in 4,202 theaters, as “Violent Night” stayed at No. 2 with $5.6 million in 3,528 theaters, $34.9 million, three weeks, and the five-week run at No. 1 ended for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” dropping to No. 3 with $5.4 million in 3,380 theaters, $418.9 million, six weeks.

4. “Strange World” dropped one place, $2.2 million in 2,870 theaters, $33.7 million, four weeks. 5. “The Menu” dropped one place, $1.7 million in 1,875 theaters, $32.1 million, five weeks. 6. “Devotion” dropped one place, $825,000 in 2,211 theaters, $18.6 million, four weeks. 7. “The Fabelmans” stayed in place, $750,000 in 955 theaters, $8.5 million, six weeks. 6. “Black Adam” dropped two places, $500,000 in 1,304 theaters, $167.7 million, nine weeks. 9. “I Heard the Bells” stayed in place, $309,815 in 426 theaters, $4.9 million, three weeks. 10. “Empire of Light” moved up 11 places, $235,000 in 436 theaters, $471,821, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Dec. 18 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Dec. 23:

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,”

Rated PG: Joel Crawford directs and Januel Mercado co-directs the voice talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh and Olivia Colman in the animation feature film sequel. Puss has used up eight of his nine lives.

“Babylon,”

MPAA Rated R: Damien Chazelle directs Brad Pitt, Margo Robbie and Olivia Wilde in the Comedy Drama History. The early days of Hollywood are fictionalized.

“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody,”

MPAA Rated PG-13: Kasi Lemmons directs Naomi Ackie and Stanley Tucci in the Music Drama Biography. The life and music of Whitney Houston is told.

“Corsage,”

No MPAA rating: Marie Kreutzer directs Vicky Krieps, Colin Morgan and Ivana Urban in the Drama Biography History. A fictional story set on Christmas Eve 1877 about one year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Movies opening date information from Internet Movie Database as of Dec. 18 is subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes