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Horton Hears a Who!

Good-natured, egalitarian, and mildly stupid

By JASON O'BRYAN | March 12, 2008

2.5 Stars

HORTON HEARS A WHO! Are you up for Jim Carrey as a cartoon elephant doing funny voices?

Good-natured, egalitarian, and mildly stupid, Horton the Elephant (voiced by Jim Carrey) tries to keep the microscopic Who-ville safe from alpha-mom Sour Kangaroo (Carol Burnett) and a host of sadistic monkeys who refuse to believe the tiny town exists in this adaptation of the 1954 Dr. Seuss classic. Loyalists will enjoy the faithful Who-ville, and the choice — by directors Steve Martino and Jimmy Hayward — of animation rather than live action is the right one, but the attempts to expand the story only make it longer. Although it scatters a few jokes for adults, some of them earnestly funny, Horton lacks the wit and layered cleverness of the good animated films of recent years. It’s a nice lesson, and it’s hard to imagine kids wouldn’t like it, but aside from a terrific Will Arnett as the evil eagle Vlad, the movie doesn’t offer much for those unmoved by a cartoon elephant doing funny voices. 88 minutes | Boston Common + Fenway + Fresh Pond + Chestnut Hill + West Newton + suburbs

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