Production Company: 20th Century Fox Animation
Director: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino
Cast: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Carol Burnett
Rating: G

By Gregg Tubbs

(UMC.org)—"A person’s a person no matter how small.” Ask a random sampling of people where we get that saying and a surprising number will say without hesitation, “Horton Hears a Who!” One of the many talents of Dr. Seuss' uncanny ability to distill sound morality into simple, indelible rhymes. With the new big screen version, I wondered if the charm, imagination and message that have made Horton a “Seussian” classic would survive the modern, CGI treatment and often excessive talents of Jim Carrey as Horton. Well, as Seuss himself may have put it, “With animation divine and performances true, even me (Seuss himself!) can love this Horton Hears a Who!”

Long before the Grinch tried to steal their Christmas, the cheery little Whos of Who-ville debuted in Seuss’ 1954 story of an eccentric elephant who hears voices from a dust speck. The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, known for his wild imagination and kindly disposition. In an earlier book,"Horton Hatches the Egg," Horton tenderly perched on an abandoned egg in order to hatch it. This time, his over-protective attention becomes focused on a tiny dust speck on a clover blossom because only his acute elephant ears can hear what no one else in the Jungle of Nool can detect—the sounds of a microscopic world inhabited by Whos.

Thankfully, the movie stays close to the book, and at less than 90 minutes, contains very little padding. In one major change, however, Horton’s main Who contact in the book, Dr. Whoovee, is swapped for the Mayor of Who-ville, agreeably voiced by Steve Carell. Having discovered this tiny world, Horton promises to protect the Whos and gingerly carries around the clover blossom and its precious dust speck, all the while conversing with Who-ville’s Mayor. But there are those in the jungle who don’t approve of such odd behavior, don’t believe in anything they can’t see, and certainly can’t recognize the value of any person small enough to fit on a speck of dust.

Horton (voice of Jim Carrey) eyes the
speck he learns is an amazing world
known as Who-ville.
Copyright © 2008 20th Century Fox.

As the forces of convention and conformity close in on Horton—led by an autocratic Kangaroo (voiced by Carol Burnett)—Horton and the Mayor call for the Whos, one and all, to make a racket—to shout, clang or trumpet—anything loud enough for others to hear. With the Kangaroo leading the cry to “Boil the dust speck,” and the Whos shouting out “We are here, we are here!” the final fate of the Whos lies in the hands of the smallest and meekest of all. Through it all, Horton withstands ridicule from a mob that believes he’s either lost his mind, is a danger to the “internal security” or a complete anarchist! But Horton, ever faithful to his promise, stands firm with his famous claim that "a person's a person, no matter how small."

The makers of the popular Ice Age films have adapted Horton Hears a Who! with great care, retaining the signature look of Seuss’ own artwork, but in slick, colorful CGI. The humor is whimsical and gently updated. A prime example is when the strict Kangaroo claims her little kangaroo is being “pouch schooled.” The vocal talents are all on target, with no one going over-the-top or trying to upstage the story. And Charles Osgood’s narration gives the film a warm, comfortable feel, while allowing us to enjoy even a little more of Seuss’ own words from the book.

Best of all, the many lessons of the original Horton remain intact. Foremost is that every person, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, has intrinsic worth. The world of the tiny Whos is as real and worthy as that of the jungle animals, and as the film implies, who’s to say the Jungle of Nool isn’t itself a tiny speck in a bigger world? The story also teaches through the character of Horton himself. Although not the brightest, most beautiful or graceful creature in the jungle, Horton is blessed with a huge heart, tremendous loyalty, tenacity and compassion. We also learn not to be too quick to criticize or judge, just because we haven’t seen proof of something ourselves. Remember “doubting Thomas” and the risen Christ? And finally we see that sometimes success depends on the best efforts of everyone—even the smallest!

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! is a great piece of entertainment, as relevant today as it was 50 years ago, and is filled with laughs and lessons suitable for the whole family—as Seuss might say, “for both the tall and the small.”

Study Questions

Have you read the original book or any of Dr. Seuss’ Horton books? How do you think this film compares? Did it retain the lessons of the original?

Horton has a wild imagination. How does that affect how others view his credibility?

Do you think it was right for the Kangaroo and crowd to demand Horton renounce what he knew to be true? How would you feel if someone asked you to deny your beliefs?

Kangaroo refuses to believe in anything she can’t see or touch. Do you need proof to believe in something? How does this remind you of Thomas in the Bible? (See John 20:25-27.)

What do you think Horton means by “A person’s a person, no matter how small?” Do you agree?

What does the Bible say about the equality of all people in the sight of God? (See Job 31:13-15; Proverbs 22:2; Matthew 20:25-28; Galatians 3:26-28.)

What character traits make Horton admirable?

Is conformity a good thing? Do you believe Horton had a right to be different, even if he was wrong?

Why do you think the Kangaroo and the crowd reacted so violently to Horton’s claim about the dust speck? Were they closed minded or fearful of something they couldn’t understand?

Do you think there are things we don’t see and don’t yet understand? How do you feel about this? Are there things only known to God? (See Hebrews 11:1-2.)