Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.
Well, Christmas is upon us already, since we're like in mid-late November, and i guess im might as well doing a Christmas movie review. But this time, we're taking a look of one the most famous kid's story in our childhood called "How The Grinch stole Christmas". Published in 1957 and written by Dr. Seuss, this story is like our favorite story telling only on Christmas in our childhood memory. Its about a mean green creature named "The Grinch" who lives all alone, far away from The Whoville, due to his hatred of Christmas from his heart is two sized too small, his goal is to steal all the Christmas decorations to ruining the holiday.
When the book became popular, its no secret that has to be an adaptation. There's the TV animated short by Chuck Jones and narrated by Boris Karloff in 1966, which despite it had a divided reaction, but it became a classic when it was re-aired. Fast forward to 2000, Ron Howard directed an live action adaptation with Jim Carrey as The Grinch, with despite the box-office success, but it got even more mixed reaction, some say its rather a pretty good story for the origin, but others felt Jim Carrey's depiction of The Grinch comes off as questionable, which im one of those people that im not a huge fan of this live action cash in.
Several years later, Illumination decided to making their own adaptation of The Grinch which i was anticipated to see it, even though many people was questioning since we already got Ron Howard's version.
"Dr. Seuss's The Grinch" is a 2018 animated Illumination film directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney, produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Heal and written by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow.
Though i may not considered myself to grew up with Dr. Seuss stories, because i was more of comics and Disney films. But when i grew to learn about Dr. Seuss, i find all them are fascinated, from The Grinch to "The cat in a hat". But of course, this is not the first time Illumination done the adaptation of Dr. Seuss's story, the first time they've done is "The Lorax", which is easily the most weakest film ever made by the same company with Minions, so they made their second try with the most familiar character in the Christmas story.
So, with all that said, will this movie holds up for changing heart, or is it really make too much noise?
Well, lets find out.
The Story.
you expected that this movie could have original story like Ron Howard's version, right? Well, it doesn't have anything special for this movie.
The plot begins where The Grinch travels to Whoville to gets his breakfast and humiliating the Whos and not before he's getting to much from Christmas that he's going to setting up his goal by stealing Christmas stuff and thats it. It feels like an extended version from the book, but with some unnecessary filler. But they did have a subplot, where little Cindy Lou Who and her friends working together to set up the trap to catching Santa Claus, mainly because she really wants to see him, like any kids believing. Plus, it also has a plot development to know why The Grinch hated Christmas, which happens when he was young in orphanage that he has no Christmas for him, but execution is vague that we asked so many question for why he's left abandoned or where are his parents, are they did or left to another world? Despite the major flaws, the most common meaning about this movie, was the heart for holiday, which it make sense that if we hated back then, maybe it could change our feeling, especially some moments are touching.
As for the jokes, although some of them did made us chuckle, but others aren't as funny that we have never expected, especially the one that they obviously took the joke of goat scream. Come on, Black Panther did a better meme joke than what we have here!
The story itself is unfortunately nothing special, just add some filler and some small subplot and vague backstory to making an extended version of the book. Even though it has an interesting meaning, but nothing new.
The Animation
Though im not considered myself as a fan of Illumination, but i have to give a credit like "Sing", the animation itself is actually pretty good.
The backgrounds are nice work with the mountains surrounding with snows or even decorative and colorful place of Whoville that it looks like it was done in gingerbread house, since its obviously made in Christmas, especially the color pallets, textures and the quality looks impressive.
As for the character designs, despite some criticized they looks like a typical concept of Illumination, but i don't think its that bad, i find the designs are above average, sure Max's design looks like something straight out of "The Secret Life of Pets", but i digress. The Grinch design looks pretty cool that he might looks similar from the book version, but im not sure if i called it better than Chuck Jones's version. And there's the Whos, although i find some of them are rather mixed, the designs themselves are nice, but i don't like they give them a random hairstyles, its good at first, but other times some of them are running out of ideas.
But probably the best part of the animation, it has to be the climatic stealing Christmas decorations, this one is easily the memorable part, but far more creative, thanks to The Grinch's gadgets to stealing all the stuff, and some of the choreograph is also pretty good. I guess its no wonder why we like to see the climatic scene in movie.
While Illuminations's animation of The Grinch looks outstanding, but sometimes they have some lower ideas.
The Characters.
Im sure you guys are familiar with characters in the book like The Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, Max the dog and... Thats all there is. But with this movie, you expected to have a new casts for new development? Sadly no.
Lets started with The Grinch himself (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, aka Dr. Strange in MCU), he's basically a neutral in the story, he started as a grumpy and mean at the Who's for the humiliations, but he may also has a sympathetic figure due to his tragic origins, but then again, i was questioning why he's left all alone. I have to admitted, its a nice extra character development in this version, but at least its better thanks to the nicely fitting voice from Benedict and even better than being an over-the-top depiction from the live action version.
As for his pet Max, he's just... Well, a dog, but more of a loyal dog. But they also including Fred the fat reindeer, who's just a generic fatty character for a small appearance. Yeah, i think Max is more likable than Fred...
Then we have Cindy Lou Who (voiced by the young Cameron Seely), unlike in the book or the TV short who's just a curious girl. Here, she's basically kind-heart little Who girl that she cares about her mom, since she's overly busy. I find her to be rather cute when she shows up, despite of her goal of capture Santa in the night. Though i understand that they wanted to make more of her, because of her pointless filler and her generic kid who likes to see Santa, she's rather an ok little girl. But of course, Cameron did a nice work of her role.
As the other Whos? Well, they're rather limited than Cindy, like Donna (voiced by Rashida Jones) who's an overworked mother, but at least she's not as dumb as "Lou Lou Who", and Bricklebaum (voiced by Kenan Thompson), who's like a next door neighbor with big decorations. But sometimes some characters has a questionable names, including some of Cindy's friends such as Axl (like Axl Rose?), Ozzy (like Ozzy Osbourne?) or even Izzy (like Izzy Bizu??).
And you're probably wondering who's the narrator of the movie? Well, surprisingly it was Pharrell Williams, the same music artist with "Get Lucky" with Daft Punk, his single "Happy" and as a judge in "The Voice", not bad.
The characters in this movie are obviously limited, though they have some new developments, but would've give us some new casts to extending the movie.
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, Dr. Seuss's The Grinch is rather an ok film. The story feels like an extension film from book, the animation looks pretty nice and the characters, despite some are good, but they're probably limited, since it mainly focus out titular character. This is the film that its ok to show it for kids and im pretty sure they'll easily like this movie. For my recommendation, its a mixed bag, i mean you can see it if you're openly curious that you haven't heard of Dr. Seuss or a fan of his work, if not, well, i'd say stick to the book or even Chuck Jones's version.
And do i think its better than "The Lorax"? I'd say yes, where "The Lorax" although it had a nice animation, but the story is waste of space, a song with nice beat but with bad lyrics and the characters are either obnoxious or forgettable. While The Grinch is an alright film to adapting from the book. Its not bad, but nothing special.
I give this movie a 5.5/10.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
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