Hey guys! Gerawallstar here and I am here to review the 2008 Blue Sky film Horton Hears a Who. Dr. Suess adaptations of the movies don’t get the best rep. Their films either range from mediocre to awful. This film, along with Netflix series Green Eggs and Ham is one of the few good adaptations. This film is surprisingly good.
Story:
The story is about an elephant named Horton discovering a clover that has a speck which features a different world in it, called Whoville. Horton finds a way to put the clover in a safe place for Whoville to rest, in order to avoid dangers from the jungle surrounding him. This story delivers a faithful adaptation to the book really well. I know that the book is short, and that the filmmakers had to add some scenes to make it to a longer movie. But the execution in these scenes majority of the time gets the story down right. With the first half of the movie admittedly gets cringey with the butt jokes and the pop culture references, the middle and ending takes its time for the story to flow really well. The stakes get high with the Kangaroo trying to murder a clover with the who’s in whoville. The quieter moments between the mayor and his son are handled decently well. The climax where the Who’s get together to make some noise saying “We are here” is one of the best moments in the movie. It’s gets me chills every time. The ending was sweet. While the first half is not that exciting, the second half where it gets dark, chilling and emotional makes this story good. I give the story seven stars.
Animation:
The animation is really good. What makes the animation good are the effects in the climax. The characters are very cartoony and expressive that makes the animation stand out. The world building of the jungle and whoville is very colorful. The characters are well designed as well. The only flaw I have with the animation is the world building itself where whoville for instance does not look that creative. It feels like a generic city. The animation is great and visually pleasing to look at. I give the animation eight stars.
Characters:
The characters are good. Horton is a wonderful character where his optimism and determination makes his character stand out. I like the mayor where not only he is a funny comic relief but also caring about his family and the residents of Whoville. The scientist is great. Jojo is a memorable silent character. Him talking at the end of the movie was satisfying. The side character from the jungle side like Morton and the vulture are okay. The Kangaroo is a great villian. The voice talents from the characters are celebrities but they carry the film with their wonderful performances. Carol Burnett is amazing as the Kangaroo. Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell do a good job playing as Horton and the Mayor. The characters are good on their own but the voice acting are what makes the characters stand out. I give the characters eight stars.
Verdict:
Horton Hears a Who is a rare example of a Dr Seuss adoption that is good. It has a good story, great animation and great characters. I recommend this movie. I give this movie seven stars out of ten. 7/10
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