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2008
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HORTON
HEARS A WHO!
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STARRING:
(VOICES OF) STEVE CARELL,JIM CARREY,WILL ARNETT, CAROL BURNETT,ISLA
FISHER,JOSH FLITTER,DAN FOGLER,JONAH HILL, CHARLES OSGOOD,AMY
POEHLER,JAIME PRESSLY,SETH ROGEN
BASED
ON THE BOOK BY DR.SEUSS
SCREENPLAY
BY KEN DAURIO & CINCO PAUL
PRODUCED
BY BOB GORDON
DIRECTED
BY JIMMY HAYWOOD & STEVE MARTINO
GENRE:ADVENTURE/COMEDY/FAMILY
RATED:AUSTRALIA:G/UK:U/USA:G
RUNNING
TIME:88 MIN
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It
is a funny thing, but these cute and cuddly animation films sure do
pack quite heavy moral, social, and political material, that would
put most adult orientated cinema to shame. Such is the case with Horton
Hears a Who!, based on the popular children's book written by
the legendary Dr. Seuss. It takes on two popular issues: global warming
and the debate between belief and non-belief, and the latter's use
of totalitarian and secular rule to crush the stance of the former.
Jim Carrey stars (or rather his voice does) as Norton, an eccentric
Elephant who comes across a speck perched upon an orchid. Inside the
speck is a world called Whoville. Its Mayor (Steve Carell) is the
only one in contact with Horton, and charges him with protecting Whoville
from any damage brought on to its fragile existence. Both Carell and
Carrey - two of the better comedic talents in Hollywood - provide
very good voice work, Carrey in particular impresses since (like Jack
Black in Kung Fu Panda) his hyper personality suits the animation
medium well.
Both Horton and the Mayor are accused pf being mad from their communities.
Horton especially faces stiff opposition from Kangaroo (Carol Burnett),
the villain of the piece who comes across very much like popular atheist
figure and founder of American Atheists, Madelyn Murray O'Hair. She
charges Horton with the decree "if you can't see it, hear it,
or feel it, then it doesn't exist!" All the while the opinions
of her son Rudy (Josh Flitter) is pushed aside in favour of her own
extreme ideals, much like O'Hair and her son William Murray whose
relationship was strained to say the least. Kangaroo hires the vulture
Vlad (Will Arnett) to destroy the spec. But Horton stands his ground
and is persecuted for his beliefs, as is the Mayor by the upper echelons
of Whoville.
It may sound serious, but trust me: Horton Hears a Who! is
big, bright, and colourful fun film with a zany sense of humour which
will appeal to both kids and adults. It is also - after How
the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (2000) and The Cat in
the Hat (2003) - the most faithful and fulfilling film adaptation
of Seuss's work. |
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