The Lorax (2012)

(On Cable TV, June 2013) There’s a basic and inherent self-contradiction in seeing big-budget Hollywood productions espouse the virtues of environmentalism: The vast expenditure of effort and resources required to make, distribute and promote those films is staggering, and given the mere-entertainment result it’s hard to reconcile it with the good that an equivalent amount of money could have been done had it been spent on concrete projects.  But then again, entertainment can inspire… and I just spent 90 minutes watching a film while I could have been picking up litter at the nearest riverfront, so who am I to criticize?  Taken on its own terms The Lorax is at least entertaining enough, and responsible enough in the message it’s teaching to its audience.  While the whimsy of Dr. Seuss’ original book is completely squashed by the de-rigueur aesthetics of modern action-packed animated features, this film adaptation contains a few effective moments, a sympathetic pair of protagonists, a colorful vision of a fantasy world and a few decent action sequences.  The animation, coming from Illumination Entertainment, is a top-notch blend of technical savvy, bright colors and effective direction.  The musical numbers are generally good, especially when they manage to advance the plot along the way.  While The Lorax may strike a few as hypocritical, it’s relatively enjoyable once you get past the most obvious issues.