The idea for the film was initiated by Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss' widow, who had an established partnership with Chris Meledandri, the producer of the film, from a successful collaboration on Horton Hears a Who! (2008). Geisel approached Meledandri when he launched Illumination Entertainment. The film is the fourth feature film adaptation of Dr. Seuss' books, and the second fully computer-animated adaptation. In 2009, the film was officially announced with Renaud and Balda as co-directors, as well as Paul and Daurio penning the adaptation. In 2010, it was announced that Danny DeVito would be voicing the Lorax character. Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Rob Riggle, Jenny Slate, Betty White, Nasim Pedrad, and Stephen Tobolowsky rounded out the film's voice cast. The film was fully produced at the French studio Illumination Mac Guff, which was the animation department of Mac Guff, acquired by Illumination Entertainment in the summer of 2011.
The film features the voice talents of DeVito, Helms, Efron, Swift, Riggle, Slate, White, Pedrad, and Tobolowsky. The cast delivered entertaining performances with keen voices for bringing Dr. Seuss' whimsical drawings and humanistic message to CG life.
The Lorax is both whimsical and heartwarming, and is the rare Dr. Seuss adaptation that stays true to the spirit of the source material. Hollywood has finally found the key to bringing a Seuss story satisfactorily to life. The film is a frequently beguiling fantasy packed with ticklish sights and vocals. Taking on Seuss has proven a challenge for Hollywood, but a nice balance has been struck here between authenticity and new ideas. This one's a winner. What is most remarkable about this film is the fidelity it retains to Seuss' work and intentions. After the overcooked live action Grinch (2000) and nauseating Cat In The Hat (2003), Hollywood has finally served up a tasty adaptation of Dr. Seuss. Even if that's not saying much. Teeters throughout at that juncture between masterpiece and piffle. The filmmakers capture the whimsy of Seuss' drawings and add a nice tactile feel. Succeeds where previous Dr. Seuss adaptations have fallen short, most notably by using animation - fluid, elastic, genuinely Seussian animation - to tell the story. Despite the stretch of adapting Horton's tale to a feature movie, Dr. Seuss' original story and the worlds he created, plus some particularly winning characters, put the film over the top. Charming, funny, with great turns from a juicy cast and the added bonus of minimal finger-wagging. Just stay well clear if you're not in a good place for psychosis-inducing imagery. A delightful adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic is sure to entertain the kids, and the parents won't be too far behind.
Simon says The Lorax receives:
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