As we prepare for the Christmas season that lies ahead, get set for another adaptation of one of the greatest stories ever read. From The Secret Life of Pets to Despicable Me, Illumination Entertainment brings us another tale of glee. Dr. Seuss’ timeless 1957 text has been relayed onscreen a few times before, in the 1966 TV special and the 2000 Jim Carrey led flick too joyful and triumphant to ignore. But now the character returns in this new animated adventure, and once more seeks to nab Christmas in another wild venture.
The solitary Grinch (Cumberbatch) lives with his dog Max atop Mount Crumpet, each year desperately dreading the Christmas festivities that always arrive like it or lump it. In the town of Whoville the Whos go all out with their celebration, but this year seek to make this Christmas three times the occasion. The Grinch knows he needs a plan to stop this merry madness forthwith, so hatches a devious plan to impersonate Santa and steal all the towns’ gifts.
Needless to say that, like all the adaptations across the years of Charles Dickens’ seminal A Christmas Carol, The Grinch does not strictly reinvent its festive plot but hardly needs to change the narrative’s well-known apparel. The animation is dazzlingly colourful, Danny Elfman’s score and the punchy soundtrack is a treat and the pace is as breezy as a Whoville winter waft, with the film providing entertainment for young and old audiences alike with a seasonal taste for the daft.
Some gags don’t quite land but the script jogs on that fast you’re hardly vexed, as you don’t really get time to linger on any misses and instead look forward to what comes next. Offering plenty of humourous moments, inspiringly bendy set pieces and even some heartwarming turns, the film sympathises somewhat with its naughty lead character by delving into his tragic backstory and internal concerns. The film also boasts some great messages for children and some adults in fact, and with the right audience this could make for a heartfelt impact. In this increasingly consumer-driven time of year it is nice to see a film focus on what is really important overall, namely making others feel welcome, loved, appreciated and even wanted at all.
Benedict Cumberbatch is grand as the title green meanie, with a bouncy vocal turn that matches the wacky action real easy. Cameron Seely is sweet (in a good way) as kind young Cindy Lou Who it must be said, but the film is virtually stolen by Grinch’s loyal wordless canine companion Max, a loudmouth mountain Goat and a portly Reindeer called Fred!
Illumination Entertainment’s take on How The Grinch Stole Christmas is infinitely superior to what was expected, perhaps that’s the reason it has been an even bigger hit than initially projected!
Phew, writing this rhyming Grinch review was a bit of a task, thankfully the film itself is an absolute festive blast.
THE GRINCH / CERT: U / DIRECTORS: SCOTT MOSIER, YARROW CHENEY / SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL LESIEUR, TOMMY SWERDLOW / STARRING: BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, CAMERON SEELY, RASHIDA JONES, KENAN THOMPSON, ANGELA LANSBURY, PHARRELL WILLIAMS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
