Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Directed by: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda Starring: Ed Helms, Danny DeVito, Zac Efron Rating: Unrated Release Date: March 2, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 6/10
Thoughts by TSR:
The Lorax is my favorite Dr. Seuss book. It combines environmentalism and whimsy in a way that's never been duplicated. But this preview worries me. Not only because I haven't liked a single Dr. Seuss movie, but because of the weird coming-of-age romance that seems to be squashed into the trailer so awkwardly. I never felt that the kid who talks to the Once-ler needed to have a backstory. I'm also concerned about how emotionally manipulative the trailer music is. Already the filmmakers seem to be beating the audience over the head with their message about protecting trees. Though I agree with the message, that kind of heavy-handedness always makes me want to go litter or something, just to be ornery.
Any hope I have for this film comes from the filmmaker's brilliant choice to cast Danny DeVito as the voice of the Lorax. I never would have picked him, but all the same it just feels right. If anyone can take treacle out of a movie, it would be him. Plus his delivery makes stale lines like "That's a woman?" sound more amusing than they deserve. So I'll give it a chance when it comes out if I hear good things, but I'm expecting to be disappointed.