Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!: DVD, Blu-ray Review (2008)

Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino, written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, 88 minutes, rated G.

Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino’s “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” really is two movies in one--but let’s not consider that a bargain just yet. Some elements in this computer-generated extravaganza are a shade too bargain basement to suit, especially when compared to the richness of its source material.

While none of those qualities extend to the beautifully detailed animation, which successfully captures the bizarre quirkiness of Seuss’ world, the same can’t be said for the awkward way the screenwriters try to bridge the gap between Seuss’ work and their own.

The film follows Horton (voice of Jim Carrey), a gentle elephant busy bathing one day when a tiny speck floats past him. From it, Horton hears tiny screams that ignite in him a rush to protect it. Trouble is, now that he has it in his possession, he must convince others in his rough-and-tumble jungle community that what he hears within that puff of dust is another world, one that might be far smaller and different than theirs, but which nevertheless is worth saving.

Good luck to Horton. Indeed, for him the problem is that only he has heard and communicated with the speck’s inhabitants--the Whos of Who-ville--a curious race governed by Who-ville’s bumbling mayor (Steve Carell), who is trying to make his Whos understand that their lives are in danger.

Making matters worse for them all is the character who doubts Horton most, the self-righteous, crazed fanatic Kangaroo, who is voiced by Carol Burnett with a fantastic display of sneering menace.

What ensues from this is a movie that finds the Whos joining together to be heard while Horton literally is imprisoned and mistreated for trying to help. The ending is especially powerful and intense, with Horton literally going through Hell to help the little guy. In the end, while the movie embraces such unnecessary pop-culture elements as the Who phone, the bones of Seuss’ tale do remain in place. The better news is that this is the best big-screen adaption yet of Seuss’ work, easily trumping the live-action wrecks, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Cat in the Hat.”

Grade: B-

View the trailer here: