Rated PG, 86 minutes
If you want a "green" cartoon, then "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" might just be for you. Bright yet forgettable, the problem with "The Lorax" isn't the message but the weak, updated story that, well, waters down the original 1971 Dr. Seuss book. A boy named Ted (Zac Efron) searches for the one thing - a unique tree - that will enable him to win the affection of Audrey (Taylor Swift), the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax (Danny DeVito), the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world against the Once-Ler (Ed Helms) and Mr. O'Hare (Rob Riggle), who feel threatened by the beauty of nature. Dr. Seuss himself might find issue with the fact that Hollywood has given his intelligent book about environmentalism a big-budgeted, dumbed-down take, but even tree huggers won't argue with the fact The Lorax, both the character and the film, are so darned charming it makes it difficult to be critical. "The Lorax" will appeal mostly to young kids, who likely won't care or notice the film's thin pro-environmental messages. On that note, "The Lorax" is safe, fun and appealing. Otherwise it's mostly everything Dr. Suess' didn't espouse: formulaic, cookie-cutter and mostly forgettable story and characters.
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