The Lorax

     For those who are unfamiliar, The Lorax (Danny DeVito) is a mystical creature that speaks for and protects trees. Ted (Zac Efron) is a 12-year old boy who will do anything to get the attention of the beautiful Audrey (Taylor Swift). During a "chance" encounter Audrey reveals that she wants more than ANYTHING to have a tree. Naturally, Ted views this as his opportunity to impress and hopefully one day marry the girl of his dreams. Never having left town before, Ted sets off to find a mysterious man known only as the Once-ler (Ed Helms). The Once-ler begins to weave a tale of greed and the horrible price that it came with. Making a long plot-spoiling story short, the Once-ler destroys the forest and breaks the Lorax's heart. Fast forward several years, and now it's in Ted's hands to fix this horrible mistake.

     The Lorax is a stunning tale that addresses one of the most pressing matters in this day and age; what is more important, the bottom dollar or environmental preservation? Slightly reminiscent of Pixar's WALL-E, The Lorax weaves a magical tale of warning from Dr. Seuss the master of rhythmic story-telling. The film begins with a brief introduction from the famed Lorax and immediately erupts into a song and dance sequence that will grab the attention of every one in the audience. Don't be fooled by this film, it's musical aspects are merely an easy disguise for the intense dialog that is riddled with poetic devices. The subtle adult humor is not hard to miss, but will not alienate even the most conservative families.
     Unfortunately some may view the film as a political platform for liberals, democrats, and environmentalists. It's message is very grounded in the consequences of big corporations, greed, and environmental conservation. Another film with a similar theme would be 2011's The Muppets. The Muppets film was unfortunately viewed to be Marxist by many narrow-minded critics. Simply put, the environment should be more important than the convenience or financial gain of destroying it. This message may go over the heads of the children that see this movie, but the concept will be driven home with eye-popping 3-D effects.
     Long story short, The Lorax is definitely a film for families of all ages to enjoy. The characters are colorful and memorable. From a feisty grandmother (Betty White) to a devious corporate tycoon (Rob Riggle). The film can appear to be a blatant attempt at environmental pandering and come off as being preachy, but it's a message we all need to hear. Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda co-directed a beautiful story that's filled with enough fun and humor to keep the attention of everyone in the audience.

Rating: 4 (Maximum of 5) - The Lorax is a beautifully crafted Doctor Seuss educational masterpiece.

This post was co-written by one of my amazingly talented nephews. Thank you for your thoughts and input Niles.