The challenge in adapting Dr. Seuss to feature-film length is figuring out how to add an hour or more of plot and character without losing the flavor of Seuss' witty rhymes or genial storytelling.
The last time someone tried, we ended up with the insufferable mugging of Mike Myers in "The Cat in the Hat." Thankfully, the new film "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who" stays true to the source.
The story is elegantly simple, centering on two characters sticking to their beliefs even when mocked and threatened by the communities around them. One, a gentle elephant named Horton (voiced by Jim Carrey), discovers a community called Whoville living within a speck sitting atop a clover. The other, the Mayor of Whoville (voiced by Steve Carell), must convince his townspeople that Whoville is a speck being carried around by "a giant elephant in the sky" - and that the town, where nothing bad has ever happened, is in imminent danger of destruction.
Each faces opposition to his views. Horton's odd behavior is berated by the jungle's chief busybody, the Kangaroo (voiced by Carol Burnett). Meanwhile, the Mayor laments that no one respects him - not the city's ruling council, not even his mopey son and successor, JoJo (voiced by Jesse McCartney).
Directors Jimmy Hayward (a veteran Pixar animator) and Steve Martino (who was art director on "Robots") employ the computer-animation talents of Chris Wedge's Blue Sky Studios (the folks behind "Robots" and the "Ice Age" movies) to capture the whimsy of Seuss' drawings and add a nice tactile feel. Horton looks like a Seussian elephant, rotund and friendly, and the wild world of Whoville maintains Seuss' cheerful curviness.
The screenplay, by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul (taking a step up from their last movie, "College Road Trip"), adds levels of humor and character without overloading Seuss' original story. The movie also boasts a charming supporting voice cast, with comics such as Seth Rogen and Amy Poehler bringing some laughs while newsman Charles Osgood adds some class as the narrator.
What anchors "Horton Hears a Who" is Carrey's perfect vocal depiction of Horton - witty and chatty, but with a surprising sweetness. When Carrey declares (borrowing a line from Horton Hatches an Egg), "I meant what I said and I said what I meant: An elephant's faithful, one-hundred percent," you really believe him.
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* SEAN P. MEANS can be reached at movies@sltrib .com or 801-257-8602. Send comments about this review to livingeditor@sltrib.com.
