About the film (courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures):
Our hero takes on his toughest assignment yet for the I.I.I.I. (Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC): to cheer Gabby and Sebastian, a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town. Known for taking things too far, this could be this agent of chaos’s last chance to prove himself…or lose his magical hat!
As a huge Dr. Seuss fan, especially when reading to my daughter when she was young, I chose to construct this review in somewhat of a unique way and hopefully I can still get my thoughts across effectively. Here we go…
Oh look! Oh see! Oh, what did they do?
They brought a new movie right into your view!
The Cat in the Hat, with Bill Hader’s voice,
Makes a mischievous, magical, marvelous choice!
For stretching a book to a feature-film length,
Is a tricky old task that tests narrative strength.
Yet this vibrant and bright little storybook tale
Will make younger viewers jump up off the rail.
While offering grownups enough comic pop
To keep all the chuckles from coming to stop.
Much of the The Cat in the Hat‘s high-flying flight
Depends on Bill Hader to keep it all right.
His voice brings a spark and a wonderful grace,
With a playful rebellion that lights up the place!
Unlike The Cat in the Hat (2003), which felt much too loud,
This version shines brightly and pleases the crowd,
Aligning with tones from The Lorax (2012) past,
With a warmth and a cadence designed to outlast.
The sweet supporting cast gives a solid backbone
As Gabby and Sebastian navigate home,
Through a rainy-day scramble and upside-down mess
That turns into quite an adventurous stress.
The sights and the colors are stunningly grand!
The animation is bright in this land!
The artists captured that Geisel-esque style,
With squiggly linework that brings out a smile.
In fluid CG with a whimsical curve,
It matches the kinetic bounce and the nerve
Of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) delight,
Creating a playground that’s bouncy and bright!
Where the narrative stumbles and loses its way
Is the pacing and padding of everyday play.
A simple quick book had to stretch and expand,
Adding subplots and obstacles all through the land.
The midsection drags with repetitive tricks,
Like trying to squish too many blocks in the bricks!
The runtime of The Cat in the Hat feels a bit long,
For preschool attention spans hearing this song.
Just trimming ten minutes of extraneous fun
Could tighten the tale till the story was done!
Yet even with pacing that slows down the treat,
The Cat in the Hat is a family-sized feat!
The visual styling is gorgeous to see,
And Hader’s vocal charm sets the whole movie free.
It stands as an honest, affectionate hue
To a timeless old story brought freshly to you!
If you’re looking for a cute and fun for the entire family fix,
The Cat in the Hat opens in theaters Friday, November 6th.
