Dr Seuss' The Lorax (2012)

All Critics (148) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (80) | Rotten (67) | DVD (1)

About as factory-produced a film as it's possible to make about the evils of commercialism, while the bulbous, Haribo-hued animation style reflects none of Seuss's visual wit.

July 24, 2012 Full Review

Guy Lodge

Time Out

Top Critic

May be a diversion for younger children, but it betrays the elegant simplicity of Geisel's vision.

March 19, 2012 Full Review | Comments (7)

Bruce Diones

New Yorker

Top Critic

Director Chris Renaud and his team have fun with these dithery, frenetic characters. The film is less special when it slows down and takes a breath of fresh air.

March 2, 2012 Full Review | Comments (4)

Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Top Critic

This tale is filled with delightful characters and it's sugarcoated with vibrant animation and candy colors.

March 2, 2012 Full Review | Comments (9)

Richard Roeper

Richard Roeper.com

Top Critic

The badness of the picture is a shock.

March 2, 2012 Full Review | Comments (37)

David Edelstein

New York Magazine

Top Critic

Par for the course in blowout CGI adaptations, a great deal of detail and bustle is gained at the expense of charm-for all the miracles these armies of animators can achieve, they have yet to successfully reproduce a humble artist's line.

March 2, 2012 Full Review | Comments (15)

Nick Pinkerton

Village Voice

Top Critic

It's heart is in the right place, but the execution isn't quite what it needs to be to excel.

March 21, 2013 Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

The flat, non-rhyming dialogue and mainly dull new characters don't feel particularly Seussian. But thankfully, the animation does.

October 30, 2012 Full Review

Andy Lea

Daily Star

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax is an entertaining and cautionary tale that stays true to the spirit of the good doctor.

September 18, 2012 Full Review

Billy Tatum

We Got This Covered

Three minutes of substance, 91 minutes of shrill filler.

August 25, 2012 Full Review

Witney Seibold

CraveOnline

A delightful animated feature with special appeal for tree lovers.

August 15, 2012 Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

Illumination Entertainment has dispensed with almost all of Dr Seuss' endearing dialogue, which is a shame, because the film could do with more of a personality of its own.

August 12, 2012 Full Review

Martin Roberts

Fan The Fire

A mostly harmless, cute and cuddly pop-infused babysitter for the ADD generation, but a wretched adaptation of Seuss' classic work.

August 7, 2012 Full Review

R. L. Shaffer

IGN DVD

[Hollywood] simply doesn't see girls' and women's lives and needs as worthy of telling stories about... not even when one particular girl's desires are the obvious driver for the story being told.

July 30, 2012 Full Review | Comments (3)

MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

It's a didactic piece with too much prose, too many chases and not enough wit. Small children will probably like it, but they deserve better.

July 30, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

Philip French

Observer [UK]

The catchy songs, personable characters and heartfelt message mean this is still a sweet and enjoyable concoction.

July 27, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

Lucy Barrick

Radio Times

It stinks.

July 27, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

David Sexton

This is London

Musical numbers, gorgeous design and a brilliant motorbike chase through the deliciously surreal Thneedville lift this from being a preachy, eco-friendly plod to a witty and comical adventure.

July 27, 2012 Full Review

Jayne Nelson

SFX Magazine

Hollywood has found it tricky translating the whimsical magic of Dr Seuss' tales from page to screen and the makers of The Lorax don't fully pull off the feat here.

July 27, 2012 Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

Underlying messages of unity and self-sacrifice for a greater good are admirable, drizzled with mawkish sentimentality to sweeten the pill.

July 27, 2012 Full Review

Liverpool Echo

A film that's fatally lacking in humanity, and looks as flashy, plastic and commercialised as the world Dr Seuss condemned.

July 26, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

Christopher Tookey

Daily Mail [UK]

It looks bright and clean and sharp. But there is no charm or life.

July 26, 2012 Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian [UK]

It is like delirium tremens, only less fun.

July 26, 2012 Full Review

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Younger children should be satisfied.

July 26, 2012 Full Review

Henry Fitzherbert

Daily Express

When a film misses the point as cretinously as The Lorax does, it really gets the blood up, although perhaps the lesson to learn here is simply that Seuss's aesthetic resists a cinematic treatment.

July 26, 2012 Full Review

Robbie Collin

Daily Telegraph

Lacks personality and charm, and ends up feeling, somewhat ironically, like a cynical exercise in commercialisation.

July 26, 2012 Full Review

Film4

• 1. The Lorax: Which way does a tree fall?
  2. The Once-ler: Uh, down?
  3. The Lorax: A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean.
  – Submitted by Adam H (5 months ago)
• 1. Additional Voices: UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, It's not.
  – Submitted by Todd L (5 months ago)
• 1. Ted: Wow, so this is really all your fault.
  2. The Once-ler: Yes, and each day since The Lorax left I've been wondering what that meant. And now I'm wondering, well maybe The Lorax left that for you.
  3. Ted: For me?! Why would he leave it for me?
  4. The Once-ler: Because unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
  – Submitted by Matthew R (5 months ago)
• 1. Aunt Grizelda: [Comes out of the van] What a dump!
  – Submitted by Matthew R (5 months ago)
• 1. Ted's Mom: Come on Ted, dance with the tree!
  – Submitted by YOU USED THE WRONG EMAIL ADDRESS S (5 months ago)
• 1. Mr. O'Hare: The more smog in the sky, the more people will buy.
  – Submitted by A Poindexter P (7 months ago)