The Story
Horton’s just being Horton when he hears a cry coming from the tiniest of specks. Now any other creature in the jungle of Nool might have figured they were hearing things that weren’t there, but Horton’s open-minded and willing to go along with the idea that an entire world could exist on a speck that’s resting on a stalk of clover. Making contact with the Mayor of Who-ville (voiced by Steve Carell), Horton takes on the responsibility of finding a safe place for the speck to reside, despite the fact that in doing so he becomes the laughingstock of Nool. With Kangaroo and a squad of menacing monkeys on his tail, as well as an evil vulture named Vlad, Horton sets off on a journey to save the community of Who-ville before it’s too late.
Jim Carrey and Steve Carell lead the cast of recognizable voices in bringing this feel-good story to life. Carrey’s a perfect fit as Horton, an elephant with a huge heart to match his huge body. There’s a real warmth and childlike wonder in Carrey’s voice, and Carrey’s controlled enough to never go too big with the voice. Steve Carell (who worked with Carrey on Bruce Almighty) gives the Mayor, a guy looked down on by the Town Council, a voice that’s edged with manic nervousness. The Mayor - and father of almost a hundred Whos - is thought to be crazy once he starts claiming Who-ville’s only a tiny speck and its good citizens are in imminent danger, and Carell’s voice reflects the fact even he believes he might be a little loony.
The filmmakers have remained true to the spirit and themes of Dr Seuss classic children’s book while padding out the story enough to make it worthy of a full-length feature film. Horton Hears a Who! is lovable and embraceable (like the film’s main character) and touchingly funny, and a movie that’s almost impossible to not enjoy. There’s enough going on onscreen to keep the little ones entertained and adults (or at least those who aren’t human versions of Kangaroo) will lose themselves in this gorgeous adaptation of the Dr Seuss story. Hear this – Horton’s worth listening to and definitely worth spending 86 minutes with in a theater.
GRADE: A-
Horton Hears a Who! was directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino and is rated G.
Theatrical Release Date: March 14, 2008
