Dr Seuss' Horton Hears A Who

Dr Seuss' Horton Hears A Who
Monday, April 21, 2008 13:18 IST
By Subhash K Jha, Santa Banta News Network
/> Voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Carol Burnett
Directed by Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino

Dr Seuss' children's fantasy is turned into a sassy fast-talking clever and consciously conscientious take on respecting human space by a directorial duo which knows how to turn the spotlights on an issue through animation rituals without making the product look overly formulistic.

There have been a string of strongly-contented animation films propounding ecological preservation in a parodic tongue.

What makes Horton Hears A Who slightly special is the importance and grandiosity attached in the plot to the cult of the slight.

You may be small but your space needs to be respected. That's this well-constructed clever witty and wise film's advice. The protagonist is a white elephant named Horton who hears a who....'Who' being a native of a minuscule township that exists in a speck that Horton holds in his hand.

The themes of nurturing and preservation are neatly and cleverly knitted into animated plot. While the elephant's tusk...er task is made easier through Jim Carrey's outstanding dubbing the other protagonist namely the Mayor of Who with his 97 exuberant daughters, one sullen son (there's a message here on the way we look at question of family planning) and quarreling conniving colleagues at the workplace who believe their honeymoon with happiness can never end, is portrayed with contagious warmth and sincerity.

This Mayor is a dude.

The evil forces trying to disrupt the bonding between the elephant and the civilization within the speck (don't miss the implicit debate on size and space inherent in the two protagonist's physical dimensions) are interestingly patterned to represent the cult of intolerance.

Seasoned actress Carol Burnett gives a mean shrewish and wily voice to the ironically-portrayed kangaroo-mother who's protective toward her son in her pouch but is determined to destroy the speck that houses hundreds.

Like several notable animation films in recent times Horton Hears A Who conveys lingering layers of meanings on human psychology and emotions without losing a lightness of touch.

You could watch it for the sheer expertise with which the wit governs the graphics. Or go deeper down to dig out the message about how we need to re-'speck' all living creatures.

Size matters, yes. But not in the way we thought so far.
Movie:
Dr Seuss` Horton Hears A Who
Reviewed by:
Subhash K Jha
on
and Rated:
0/5
I Want To Talk Movie Review - A Bittersweet Tale of Grief, Hope, and Resilience!

Shoojit Sircar's films often delve deep into themes of grief, death, and the enduring hope that arises from life's darkest moments. His latest film, I Want To Talk, follows in the footsteps of his previous works like Piku and October, exploring loneliness, the

Friday, November 22, 2024
'The Sabarmati Report' Review - A Riveting Tale of Media, Politics, and the Godhra Tragedy!

Vikrant Massey makes a striking return to the big screen with The Sabarmati Report, a gripping film that revisits one of the most debated events in India's recent history'the Godhra train

Saturday, November 16, 2024
Devara - Part 1 Makes Waves at the Box Office with Rs. 77 Crore Opening Day Collection!

Devara: Part 1 made a remarkable entrance at the box office on its opening day, grossing Rs 77 crore across all languages, as reported by industry tracker Sacnilk. The action drama, directed by

Saturday, September 28, 2024
Taaza Khabar Season 2 Review - A Missed Opportunity for Freshness!

The highly anticipated Taaza Khabar Season 2 featuring Bhuvan Bam returns with his character Vasant Gawde, diving into the world of fresh news updates. Alongside Bam, the show

Friday, September 27, 2024
Yudhra Review - A Bumpy Ride Through Action and Chaos!

Ehsaan Loy composing the music, all the elements seem to point to a cinematic success. However, in 2024, audiences have become harder to impress, and despite these heavyweights, Yudhra fails

Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT