Cinema: The Lorax 4/10
Director: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito
Plot: a young boy attempts to find the origins of ‘the
Lorax’ and the history of the trees to gain affection from a girl.
Dr Seuss’ books are incredibly enchanting with some
extremely successful film adaptations such as 2008s Horton Hears A Who with
some incredibly unsuccessful- such as 2003s Cat In The Hat. The Lorax is the
next book to be adapted from its small 45-page book length. At first glance, it
seems a struggle to stretch such a short story into a 86-minute film which
unfortunately shows in the final product.
Firstly, the film has a few A-list voice actors who really
add something to the film. Highlights include Danny DeVito as the Lorax
himself; DeVito’s comedic skills shine through even without having his face on
show as he makes the Lorax the most loveable and likeable character on-screen.
Betty White as Grammy Norma is also a hilarious fixture throughout, grabbing
some of the funniest scenes which couldn’t have been as successful without
White taking the microphone. Both Zac Efron and Taylor Swift however seem
slightly dull choices for the main two leads; they fill their roles accordingly
yet with little edge or uniqueness.
Whilst animations are meant to ‘wow’ with their special
features, the Lorax seems to fall flat a little. The animation seems to look
uninspiring in places with the young lead, Ted, looking like a straight-to-DVD
type of character, not to mention very forgettable. The film tries to dazzle
too often with a marshmallow-type river shoved onto the screen with little
meaning towards the story (something which distinguishes a fantastic script to
one which isn’t). I viewed the film in 2D and seemed perfectly adequate too, 3D
didn’t seem something that would add much.
The film also has little for adults; the greats such as
Shrek, Finding Nemo and the Incredibles have comedy and action to enjoy for
those of all ages whilst the Lorax feels very constricted and full of silly
slapstick humour which doesn’t carry over well with older audiences.
In Conclusion: the musical numbers are cute, the moral
message sweet and the Lorax adorable but overall, the film is strictly for under
eights to enjoy. The film is cluttered with too many uninteresting main
characters whilst the best are pushed to the sidelines.
I just rented the Lorax and am very pleased with my choice. Out of the three newest adaptations from Dr. Seuss’ books, this has to be the best one so far. I know there are not that many jokes for adults, but the message that the story conveys to children is a very powerful and very important one. Before I started working for Dish I was a wildlife conservationist, so I guess it would be safe to assume that this was my favorite Dr. Seuss book even before I saw the movie. I usually save my serious reviews for movies that are supposed to entertain adults, but as far as entertaining kids goes this was certainly an +A. They did not move from the couch the whole time and they learned a few lessons. I am lucky there are no late fees with my Blockbuster at Home subscription because my kids would kill me if I sent the movie back now.
ReplyDeleteIt's really nice to know that children love it and that you did too. I adore animation films (I find very good ones to be rare now) and I just found it a little too basic, like a pre-school film. I felt really out of place watching it. I did find parts funny however I wouldn't watch it again. It's a shame too that the Lorax is pushed to the sides during some parts of the film and that Grammy Norma isn't in it anymore, they were both characters I think all adults would adore.
DeleteMany thanks for your comment, much appreciated.