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Horton Hears a Who!

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 31 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 72 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Adventure | Animation | Family/Kids
Written by:
Dr. Seuss (book)
Cinco Paul
Ken Daurio
Directed by:
Steve Martino
Jimmy Hayward
Release Date:
Theatrical: March 14, 2008
DVD: December 9, 2008
Running Time: minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: G for General Audiences
Starring Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Isla Fisher, Dan Fogler, and Amy Poehler
Based on the beloved children's book by Dr. Seuss, this is the tale of an imaginative elephant named Horton who hears a faint cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Although Horton doesn't know it yet, that speck houses an entire city named Who-ville, inhabited by the microscopic Whos, led by the mayor. Despite being ridiculed and threatened by his neighbors, who think he has lost his mind, Horton is determined to save the particle...because "a person's a person, no matter how small." (20th Century Fox)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
If I ran the circus, the gang that made the sturdy, witty, inventively animated Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! would get first dibs on any future movie productions of the Theodor Seuss Geisel canon.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
Stays true to the spirit and characters of the book while embellishing it to overflowing.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer
I don't wish to give offense here, but it certainly doesn't hurt that Mary Lou is voiced by that famously small bundle of energy Isla Fisher. (She's 5-foot-2.)
Read Full Review >Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
Finally! For the first time, Hollywood has made a whimsical, witty, feature-length version of Dr. Seuss that's neither overblown nor smutty nor emotionally hollow.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
The look of the story is an undeniable treat, and the message it weaves is both funny and sweet. Horton Hears a Who! is razzle-dazzling and artful, and it builds on Seuss' words by the clever cart-full.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Travis Nichols
It's a loving and attentive take on a charming classic.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Ella Taylor
Warm, playful and inventive, this tale of an elephant with a spirit as generous as his waistline comes juiced with the genially goofy animation of the folks who brought us "Ice Age" (and, less memorably, "Robots") coupled with a respectful doffing of the cap to Geisel’s exuberantly wacky visual style.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
A delight, brimming with colorful, elastic characters and bountiful wit.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Mary Elizabeth Williams
It's a feature-length reparation for the appalling live-action versions of Seuss' books we've endured over the last few years.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Corliss
You may leave the movie with Seussian anapests dancing in your happy head. Here's mine: A treat for the eye, an epic event/ This film is delightful, one hundred percent.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
Horton Hears a Who wisely preserves most of Seuss' verse in voiceover narration, but the main dialogue, while it doesn't rhyme, preserves the author's humanistic humor and whimsy.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Joe Neumaier
Listen closely: It's the sound of a million Who fans cheering.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey
For its intended audience, Horton's agenda is overt: Listen, be a friend, and most important - have fun!
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian M. E. Russell
After the terrifying grotesques that were the live-action "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "The Cat in the Hat," it was easy to dread a feature-length Horton Hears a Who!. But -- surprise -- the computer-animated "Horton" is largely funny and faithful to the spirit of the Dr. Seuss book.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen
I meant what I said And I said what I meant A flick pretty faithful 'Bout 80 per cent.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Frequently charming, beautifully drawn and far more faithful in spirit to the source material than those dreadful Ron Howard-Brian Grazer productions.
Read Full Review >ReelViews James Berardinelli
Jim Carrey re-invents Horton much as Robin Williams did with the Genie of the Lamp in Disney's animated "Aladdin."
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
It's rendered in shiny, state-of-the-art CG animation, not the charming pen-and-ink drawings with which Seuss illustrated his own books or the hand-drawn artistry Chuck Jones brought to the 1970 Horton Hears a Who! short. But considering the messes that came before, that's a minor quibble.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall
The tolerance and loopy poetry of the beloved book by Dr. Seuss have been nicely captured.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
It does honor the book's flavor and spirit with a bright, funny treatment. Voice performers Jim Carrey (as Horton) and Steve Carell (the Mayor) play their roles just right, without making the movie about them.
Read Full Review >Variety John Anderson
The real stars of the movie are the animators, who imbue even the overgrowth in Horton's jungle with a certain floppy Seuss-ishness.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Ed Gonzalez
Horton Hears a Who! has blessedly been conceived and executed in reverence to Seuss's story, padding out the original narrative with some meaningful new ideas and casting a mercifully muzzled Jim Carrey as the titular beast.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano
Unlike so many computer-animated movies, "Horton" doesn't have that garish, sealed-in-plastic effect that can be so claustrophobic.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Matthew Sorrento
Even if Horton's world can't shine like Whoville, this movie's visuals keeps things vivid, while digital animation is so often crisp, precise, and cold.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
In the mold of their previous films "Ice Age" and "Robots": a nice blend of rudimentary and inventive touches.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
Someday, if we’re all good little boys and girls, the world will hand us a Dr. Seuss film half as wonderful as one of the books. Meantime we have the competent, clinical computer animation and relative inoffensiveness of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! to pass the time.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Ty Burr
It's a tough balancing act and probably a futile one. As greedily as Hollywood looks upon these books as a franchise to strip-mine, the hard fact remains that what's good about them - Ted Geisel's untrendy gentleness, humor, and intelligence - resists translation to the big screen.
Read Full Review >Empire Staff (Not credited)
Charming, funny and great turns from a cast with no finger-wagging. But if you don’t like psychosis-inducing imagery, steer clear.
Read Full Review >The New York Times A.O. Scott
There are aspects of “Horton,”... that are fresh and enjoyable, and bits that will gratify even a dogmatic and orthodox Seussian.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
Just because the live-action Seusses have dialed down expectations doesn't mean that Horton shouldn't aspire to more than time-wasting mediocrity. There are precious childhoods at stake here.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 72 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
K E. gave it an8:
The only thing that I was worried about was the fact I was watching a movie this childish. But, this movie was still great.
Roxas S. gave it a10:
Hyper S, let me guess, you a forty year old, no fun kangaroo? Hmm. Just like in the movie. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll ever see the light, and be bitter forever. OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T CARE FOR IT, IT'S MEANT FOR KIDS! It's supposed to be simple, and NOT SCARY! What did you think, it was a horror movie! Oooh! Anyways, this is absolutely my favourite movie, despite my age (16). I fell in love with Jojo O'Malley, the small, sad, teenage Who, who feels his father pressures him too much.
Jay H. gave it a7:
7.5/10. The movie captures the creativity of Dr. Seuss very well. Well animated, amusing screenplay and excellent voice overs. It is a very enjoyable film that all ages will enjoy. Funny, touching and well worth seeing.
Hyper S gave it a5:
Wasn't feeling it. Nope, not once during the whole movie was I feeling it. The plot just wasn't something to make a full length feature off of so no matter how well animated it never grabbed my attention, made me care, or peeked my curiosity. There was also little character development, then again since there were no memorable characters [villian stunk; Hero nothing special; victims in peril (snore)] I guess we didn't miss much. Maybe we should thank the directors for not wasting our time. Also, zippo in the comedy department. Its just a very average... very forgettable movie. Although I should say at least it was a kid friendly Dr. Suessian movie unlike that awful train wreck of a movie titled, "Cat in the Hat".
Chris C. gave it a9:
I love it. Simply superlative. The script is superbly written and each character is very well realized. Definitely in my top 5.
Joe M. gave it a10:
It was fantastic for everyone of all ages, unless you are about 13 and too cool to see movies with the family.
Sam gave it a9:
Great movie. It was funny, and entertaining. Horton had a great personality, and the creators were very imaginative.
