Before I ever review this train wreck of a movie, I'm going to review the short film from 1972.
A young boy goes to meet a ruined industrialist called the Once-Ler to hear his story of what happened to the land he lives in. The story he tells is about him as a once successful businessman who keeps chopping down "Truffula Trees" to make a product called the "Thneed". However, he goes from chopping down "Truffula Trees", to polluting a native land that was once beautiful. A creature "Who speaks for the trees" called the Lorax tries to convince him to stop his actions, but the Once-Ler refuses to listen to him since he's becoming a success.
Our main character the Once-Ler is a complex character that we both love and hate. First off (Aside from the boy) I love that all the human's faces are not shown and their designs are nothing but dark greenish bodies which makes the humans look like unsettling greedy monsters, while the creatures living in this once beautiful world are all colorful and cute. The Once-Ler while being very greedy and focusing more on money than minding the needs of the Lorax and the animals, I like that we at least see him struggle with himself wondering if he should listen to the Lorax or just keep on making money. While we mostly hate him throughout the whole story, we do find at least redemption to his character in the end of the story. The Lorax is a kind, innocent, gentle and humble creature representing that small voice and conscience that no one will listen to. He's not only a lovable and smart character, but he's the character we feel pity for the most since we watch him see his land falls apart at the hands of greed. He uses no acts of violence; he doesn't try to sabotage the works; all he does is try to convince and show the Once-Ler what has become of his land, and some day the world if he doesn't stop, which I find to be really sad and tragic for both the story and character. As for the young boy, he shows up very little, but he not only leaves an impression, but he represents the audience and the young humans of today that can work for a better future and make the world a better place than a polluted cooperate world.
The film has a great narrative structure. Not only does Eddie Albert provide a good narration, but the dialogue and songs (Written by Dr. Seuss) are what make the cartoon so entertaining, and touching. The dialogue is enjoyably powerful as the rhyming is done ever so superbly that it proves what a true genesis that Dr. Seuss really is! The songs themselves are well written; help move the story forward; and are so good at capturing the happiness, and the sadness of the film that even if they’re not as catchy as most Dr. Seuss songs, they still help pull you into the cartoon’s world whenever you listen to it. As for the animation it’s as creative, colorful as the illustrations in a Dr. Seuss book that also maintains a bit of a dark edge.
The story and cartoon are one of the most powerful and moving stories that Dr. Seuss has ever written. While being fun and light hearted, it's incredibly dark and depressing as it all overall succeeds with carrying out its powerful moral on how cooperate greed and pollution is destroying our world, instead of coming off as corny and preachy. And to see Dr. Seuss take on such a controversial and risqué topic not only shows that he has guts, but it also shows how smart of a storyteller he truly is and that he's not all about simple childish nonsense. Just like most Dr. Seuss cartoons made back in the day that made his books come alive through animation, this one is just as great as the animated classics "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and "The Cat In The Hat". And whenever I see a current Dr. Seuss movie (Even if I do personally have a guilty pleasure for a few of them) that's trying to be modern, hip, and add more to the story than needed, it makes me realize how Hollywood is forgetting what an impact that Dr. Seuss has left and created with his books, while also proving that you can be both accurate and do so much with a 25 minute cartoon with a Dr. Seuss story, than you can with a full length film.
RATING 5/5
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