Dr. Seuss' The Lorax [Blu-Ray]

This new CGI adaptation of Dr Seuss's ecological fable expands on its source material in familiar post-Pixar fashion, with songs, added characters, a love interest and new villain, but it leaves the original message narrative intact. The new hero is Ted, who, to impress a girl, heads into the barren wasteland outside the pristine plastic city of Thneedville in search of a tree, all genuine plant life having disappeared. To aid his efforts, he seeks out the Once-ler, a weary old recluse who recounts his story. As in the book, the Once-ler's earlier efforts to manufacture the perfect consumer item ― the Thneed ― out of Truffula trees result in a conflict with the Lorax, a small orange creature who is the protector of the forest. Many of the film's ideas are terrific, notably the decision to personify the Once-ler, depicted by Seuss as a sinister pair of green-gloved arms. The movie's rendition of the character presents him as a cheery, industrious, immensely likable young man, not unlike the young Ted ― this reinforces, with rather surprising rigour, the film's theme of personal accountability for the protection of the environment. The movie also wins points for steering mostly clear of Shrek-ian jokiness, giving the appropriate weight to the environmental devastation depicted. However, it loses points for tacking on an interminable chase sequence that's as far from Seuss's tender but caustic sensibility as you can get. The new ending, however, is genuinely moving. Extras consist of three pleasant mini-movies featuring the film's characters, a featurette about the adaptation of Seuss to screen and an animated tour of the film's Truffula Valley and the Easter eggs contained within, including a nice drawing lesson for young viewers.