Horton Hears a Who (2008)

We’ve all seen the classic movie of this story, made for television in 1970. And of course, we’re all familiar with the book, “Horton Hears a Who” by the immortal Dr. Seuss. But now Jim Carrey and Steve Carell bring us the tale in a whole new way.

Horton the elephant has remarkable ears. When a speck goes drifting by and he hears a tiny voice calling out for help, he grabs a clover to catch the speck on. He learns that an entire city of tiny people exists on that speck, and he vows to do whatever he can to find a safe place to put it so it will no longer be at the whim of weather and wind.

But others in the jungle are not so understanding, especially one kangaroo (voiced by Carol Burnett). When she learns that Horton believes a tiny city is on the speck, she takes it upon herself to teach Horton a lesson. She claims her only concern is for the welfare of the children. After all, if they were to start using their imaginations, that would lead to anarchy!

True to the story, the Mayor of Whoville convinces everyone in the town to yell, allowing those in the jungle to hear them, and Horton is vindicated.

This movie has many entertaining moments, as you would expect from a Jim Carrey film. I did find a few of the scenes to be a little scary, as Horton is chased by the vulture hired by the kangaroo. But there were some valuable lessons to be learned as well—not just that a person is a person, no matter how small, but also the importance of believing in something we can’t see and the value in standing up for what we know is right, regardless of the opposition we might face. In the end, Horton shows his true character as he extends his forgiveness to the kangaroo, the source of all his troubles.

I don’t think the classic film will ever be ousted from its place of honor, but this remake is a worthy addition to your DVD library or at the very least, to your Netflix queue.

This film is rated G.

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