Hats off to the Despicable Me creative team for figuring out a way, no matter how awkward, to pay homage to one of Hollywood’s most beloved character actors.
Adapted from a 1971 Dr. Seuss book, the CG Lorax follows the quest of 12-year-old Ted (Zac Efron) who is determined to win the affection of his older neighbor, Audrey (Taylor Swift). Ted leaves his town of Thneedville to find the fabled Trufflula Tree.
Once a thriving, colorful piece of vegetation shaped like a dust mop, the Truffula Trees are gone now. But they were once guarded by, you guessed it, an orange creature with a Wilford Brimley moustache called The Lorax.
Here’s where the wheels came off for me. Brimley, though aged, is still alive and would probably have agreed to voice the character. But for some reason director Chris Renaud chose Danny DeVito. And while DeVito did a perfectly serviceable job, the part cried out for Wilford’s gruff no-nonsense, plain talk, the kind that would shame you into buying and eating oatmeal.
Screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio avoided the overt environmental message contained in the original Lorax.
Instead, a nuanced script describes how the overprotected Truffula Trees were allowed to grow too close together. Unable to be pruned with dead dry Truffula branches piling up, the forest was dry and brittle as an immense Triscuit.
I won’t spoil the film, but there is a scene with a Cat in a Hat leaning against a Truffula Tree and having trouble lighting a White Owl cigar.
Excellent job by Bruno Mahé as global technology supervisor. That is an enormous task when you consider how much technology there is in the world. Bruno certainly stays on top of things.
Three and a half stars. There would have been more, but just the sight of the Lorax’ moustache had me eating oatmeal again.
