DR. SEUSS stories have mostly been disasters on screen, not including the former Jim Carrey Christmas GRINCH vehicle.  But the latest and minor HORTON HEARS A WHO, the story of an elephant called Horton (Jim Carrey) saving the tiny town of Who-ville from destruction, is a major achievement in CG animation and entertainment. 

From the start of water droplets (liquid could never be animated in older stop-motion) shown on screen, the animators make it clear that their film is out to astound in the latest computer animation wizardry.  From the jungle where Horton lives to the littlest inhabitants on the dust speck led by Who-ville’s major (Steve Carell), the drawings, concoctions and imagination runs wild.  Carrey has the film’s best line.  To the mayor:  “You look after the people and leave the freaking out to me!”

The cast providing the voices span three generations of comedians – from Carol Burnett (great as the evil kangaroo), to Steve Carell and Jim Carrey (great to see the two sometime competitors – the BRUCE ALMIGHTY films – work together) and Seth Rohen as a pudgy nameless animal sidekick.  Carrey steals the show creating the silliest while most entertaining voice characterization I can recall since Mel Blanc.

HORTON combines many superb talents but mostly those of directors Hayward and Martino.  Hayward worked in TOY STORY, MONSTERS INC., FINDING NEMO while Martino showed his comedic prowess in Monty Python sequences in THE HOLY GRAIL and THE MEANING OF LIFE.  Together they bring the best of what audiences have forgotten they enjoyed the most since the Looney Tune Days.  Imagination and Goofiness! 

Adults balk when animation is cutesy.  Fortunately, the cute characters are pushed beyond the hilt.  If one can ignore the clichéd message – will not list it in the review – and the logic of kangaroos in jungles, HORTON is quite the delight, primarily because it is so ridiculously hilarious.  The film goes against formulaic belief that a big villain is needed in every such movie.