Horton Hears a Who! Review
by Homer Yen (homeryen88 AT gmail DOT com)June 24th, 2008
"Horton Hears a Who" - Rhythm and Music
by Homer Yen
(c) 2008
At the movie theatres, hey, what's all that hullaballoo?
It's bigger than 3,000,000 clovers and even a size-24 shoe.
It's Dr. Suess's tale with a touch of class that is so true.
The film is called "Horton..." It's "Horton Hears a Who".
An allegory of isolationism is at its beautiful core.
At least that's what it was about when written in 1954.
Now brought to vivid life with great CGI and musical score,
Dr. Suess's tale is beguiling and imaginative and more.
Steve Carell voices the Who Mayor, who is a bit of a twit.
Life's calm in Whoville and the citizens never worry one bit.
But when the Mayor says Whoville is in trouble, no one believes him one whit. Although they mock him, he stands his ground as he sees fit.
Jim Carrey voices Horton, who hears the Mayor's cries.
Wow, Whoville is the size of a speck to his enormous surprise.
But no one else can here the Whos. Is he just making up lies?
Now naysayers want Horton to give up his belief and apologize.
Horton and the Who Mayor's friendship is unmistakably firm.
Yes Horton is eccentric and the Who Mayor has a bad perm.
And while the citizens of Whoville are only the size of a germ, Their hopes for survival rest with the heroics of a pachyderm.
Horton, in the face of pressure, proudly stands tall.
Yes, his singular belief may lead to an unjustified downfall.
But our hero knows that there's really nothing to think about at all. A person's a person no matter how small!
The look and feel of the film takes us back to a time
when things were much simpler and innocent. The effect is sublime. There's frivolity and gaiety and music and rhyme.
And it is set against the backdrop of an adventure of a lifetime.
There's action and suspense as Horton finds a way
to traverse dangerous bridges and snowy mountains to save the day. But it is a celebration of the imagination that shines its brightest ray. It features a rainbow of colors, contraptions galore, and even anime.
Lyrically gift-wrapped passages help to guide the show
here and there, there and here, onwards and upwards, to and fro. It's fun to watch, easy to digest, and never did it feel slow.
My enthusiasm for this film is high and my face is all aglow.
For Dr. Suess fans, this project is a dream-come-true.
It awakens your creative spirit completely through and through.
At the movie theatres, hey, what's all that hullaballoo?
The film is called "Horton..." It's "Horton Hears a Who".
Grade: A
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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