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Cinema Plus
Who doesn’t want to hear Dr. Seuss?
They say Dr. Seuss didn’t mean any of the pro-life, anti-abortion overtones in the story (“People are people, no matter how small”), but chances are screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul decided to layer it and make it a bit more
open to interpretation.
Irrespective of that debate, Horton Hears a Who (the same Whos from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas) is a fantastic film about faith and the need to believe, much like Polar Express. And, it is also about science and the need to explore. Even if that wasn’t the intention, it is still a mighty effort that encourages kids to let their imagination run riot, and open their minds.
If the whole of Whoville is only a speck in Horton’s world, surely it is possible that Horton’s world is itself only a speck in the larger universe. The film introduces kids to this premise with a little moral instruction lesson thrown in too: be sensitive to those smaller than you.
Dr. Seuss’s critique of politics and mob mentality seeps through the film. The people who run the system and want you in their control is represented by the protective Kangaroo. But then, it could also be politicians or religious leaders asking you to turn deaf to possibilities, worried that such thoughts may corrupt your mind.
Adhering creates a comfort zone for the followers of the system and for those who run it. Horton Hears a Who is about breaking out of that comfort zone. Given that kids understand rebellion and power better than most of us, the material for Horton Hears a Who is pure dynamite in terms of how they would relate to it.
But like all good children’s films, the focus here is on adventure and bonding. The fact that you forget it is an animation film and delve deep into the philosophy of Dr. Seuss speaks volumes of the effort.
Jim Carrey and Steve Carell are the pillars of this smartly-written, well-timed gag-fest guaranteed to ensure kids have a jolly time. The animation is top-notch, the lines as funny and the length just right to suit the attention span of toddlers. At 88 minutes, this is the film you ought to take your kids to this summer.
Horton Hears a Who
Genre: Animation
Directors: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino
Cast: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen
Storyline: Horton, the elephant, chances upon a world of people living in a speck and is determined to rescue them by carrying it to safety.
Bottomline: An adorable film for kids with plenty of subtexts for adults too
SUDHISH KAMATH
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