While it’s a hard feat to surpass previous versions of the holiday-hating Dr. Seuss character, “The Grinch” offers more than enough entertainment for a fresh age of young viewers. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, the newest adaptation combines elements from Ron Howard’s 2000 film featuring Jim Carrey, as well the original 1966 television special to create an enjoyable, computer-animated, Christmas film.
When the people of Whoville decide to make this year’s Christmas the biggest one yet, the green and unhappy creature called the Grinch, who lives in the mountain above the imaginary town, comes up with a plan to ruin the beloved holiday. While sneaking around the town dressed as Santa Claus in order to steal the town’s presents and decorations, the Grinch encounters a sweet, innocent girl by the name of Cindy Lou Who, comes to terms with his lonely past and ultimately learns about the true meaning of Christmas.
Having grown up with Dr. Seuss stories and Carrey’s portrayal of the Grinch character, I was skeptical when I first saw the trailer for the new movie. Instead of the grumpy, over the top and borderline insane creature that I knew and loved, this new film showed a more goofy and clumsy Grinch, similar to the producing company’s characters in their “Despicable Me” and “Minions” movies. I thought for sure that this new rendition was going to be a waste of time, but I was wrong.
It's not that I overly enjoyed “The Grinch”, but there’s really not much to say about it from a negative standpoint. While it could’ve been tailored more for adults in addition to kids, there’s no denying there’s plenty of playful, humorous content that younger audiences will enjoy. This version seems to pay homage to the classic animated film that captured audiences by giving the Grinch a somewhat warmer side and adding a bit more emotional depth than the 2000 live-action film portrays. Award-winning composer Danny Elfman, who brings an appealing score to the film, collaborates with Tyler, the Creator, to create a new version of the song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”.
Its normally a tall order to remake a film that’s better than the original, and the Ron Howard-Jim Carrey version will always be memorable to me personally, but overall, “The Grinch” is a solid, fresh take on a classic story. As previously mentioned, it may not appeal to all audiences, but it seems like a perfect movie to take your kids to, especially around the holidays. Time will tell whether this adaptation stands out more than past versions, but if its anything like “Despicable Me” or Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” (2012) - all from the same production company - this film may very well be in for success.
“The Grinch” is rated PG for brief rude humor. Running time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
