You can probably imagine how sugary and soppy the whole thing is, but fortunately it is saved somewhat by Carrey, who's as watchable as ever. The grinch is a very likeable villain, as he's so petty in his hatred of the Whos. His schedule has entries such as "Solve world hunger. Tell no-one", "Wrestle with my self-loathing" and "Stare into the abyss."
There are some universally funny bits in the movie, but unfortunately Dr. Seuss's widow made the producers take out most of the adult humour. There remain some nice little subversive visual gags, though, like the Whos attending wife-swapping parties and committing adultery, which goes to further show the thin veneer of their wholesome, happy lives.
The film looks great, with the computer-generated Whoville and the chaotic goings-on there creating a very effective surreal setting for the story. It's quite hard going in places though, particularly one cringe-worthy scene where Cindy Lou breaks into song. And there's the obligatory cute dog, but Carrey just about holds things together without it all becoming too sickening. 6/10 |
