The winning formula

Beloved children’s book author-artist Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, created original and appealingly weird characters throughout his career.
Just as important, he imbued his imaginative stories with human familiarity. This is especially noticeable in the new animated feature, “Horton Hears a Who.”
The timeless tale is naturally populated by his creations, as well as smart and ponderous animals. The movie is cute and visually kinetic, so kids could dig it as much as Seuss’ illustrated books. Plus, it’s got enough substance and philosophical ideas that could tug at grown-up hearts, maybe even inspire deep thought.
That’s a rare and winning combination. It’s a smart yet heartwarming film, vividly rendered by Blue Sky Studios, who previously did the hit cartoon films “Ice Age” and its sequel. Moreover, “Horton” has a uniquely playful and dreamlike atmosphere, so it doesn’t bore.
Slow start
It starts a little slow but the pace picks up quickly and one is soon in the orbit of the earnest elephant, Horton (voiced expressively by Jim Carrey). Horton discovers a tiny speck that is actually the microscopic world of the Whos. Civilized and cultured, these people are unaware of his existence, but they occasionally feel his hovering, monumental presence.
Horton directly contacts one of them—the Mayor (Steve Carell)—a dedicated but oft-ridiculed guy who connects sudden environmental and atmospheric changes to various goings-on in the elephant’s humongous home environment. The cross-dimensional communication isn’t always smooth or obvious to others, which gets both of them in trouble in their respective worlds.
The stern and self-important Kangaroo (Carol Burnett) thinks Horton is insane and is becoming a bad influence on the young animals of their forest society. The Mayor is similarly mocked and chastised for speaking of the existence of something that he can’t prove.
Unusual premise
Such unusual premise ultimately treats the viewer to existential themes, as well as individuality-versus-mob consensus debates, and even situations portraying generational parent-child rifts. There are fun physical conflicts in “Horton,” but the more lingering ones take place in the scenes depicting allegories for ideological battles and authority-questioning in our reality. It’s good it’s presented in a way that’s easily comprehensible by the younger audience.
It’s not difficult to appreciate the maturity and relevance of Seuss’ story. “Horton Hears a Who” is a rarity, yes; it’s as enjoyable as the quirky live-action translation of the Seuss classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (which starred Carrey), but “Horton” is more layered, story-wise. It’s slightly absurd take on cosmology is entertaining, but it can also be enjoyed as a better-than-usual animated feature with exciting, kid-friendly moments.