I knew I shouldn't have eaten those mushrooms back there...REVIEW: Horton Hears a Who
Dir by: Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino
Written by: Adapted from Dr.Seuss' story by Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul
Starring (voices): Jim Carey (Horton), Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Isla Fisher
What's it about? Horton the Elephant struggles to protect a microscopic community from his neighbors who refuse to believe it exists.(imdb.com)
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When I was knee high to a grasshopper, I read a lot of Dr. Seuss. I have a big imagination, which is partially why I love movies so much. I really enjoyed the creatures he created, the insane worlds but what kept me hooked was the heartfelt morals of each and every story. Horton Hears a Who is no different. Not only does the story support diversity, but it also has a lot to say about just being a nice person. I think you'd have to look back to when the story was written, to see if Suess intended it to be a bigger picture type moral, in line with politics at the time. What kid gives a crap about that though?
Ok that's all well and good, but what about the movie? We know it's based on quirky, yet reliable, source material that will almost certainly get the butts in the seats. However, we know full well that sometimes these stories don't really turn out that great (Cat in the Hat, anyone?).
However, I'm happy to say, in the case of Horton Hears a Who, it most certainly resonates with young and old. This 3D romp around the mind of a celebrated author was entertaining, funny and moving. I think the reason why it worked so well, is the use of 3D animation instead of real people. Yes, I said it. Though, how they would use a person to play an elephant is beyond me...
The use of two very physical comedians, Jim Carey and Steve Carell, to play the two main characters works because their physicality comes through in their voices. They also have great timing, which is important in a film like this. Sure there were some cheesy bits, but you won't for one second think you're watching a film by Disney.
I think it could have been a bit shorter, but overall Horton Hears a Who was a trip back in time to single digit age. I recommend this for young and old, especially those who had their little noses in Dr.Suess' books back in the day.
Ok that's all well and good, but what about the movie? We know it's based on quirky, yet reliable, source material that will almost certainly get the butts in the seats. However, we know full well that sometimes these stories don't really turn out that great (Cat in the Hat, anyone?).
However, I'm happy to say, in the case of Horton Hears a Who, it most certainly resonates with young and old. This 3D romp around the mind of a celebrated author was entertaining, funny and moving. I think the reason why it worked so well, is the use of 3D animation instead of real people. Yes, I said it. Though, how they would use a person to play an elephant is beyond me...
The use of two very physical comedians, Jim Carey and Steve Carell, to play the two main characters works because their physicality comes through in their voices. They also have great timing, which is important in a film like this. Sure there were some cheesy bits, but you won't for one second think you're watching a film by Disney.
I think it could have been a bit shorter, but overall Horton Hears a Who was a trip back in time to single digit age. I recommend this for young and old, especially those who had their little noses in Dr.Suess' books back in the day.
3.5/5 Who's
*Side note: The rating is in comparison to other films which rate higher such as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Toy Story which perhaps lifted my spirits ever so slightly more than Horton.
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