MOVIE REVIEW: THE GRINCH (2018)

This is the third screen adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s classic children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The original TV special is a timeless classic and holds a 4.5 out of 5 on my rating scale. The 2000 live-action film starring Jim Carrey is a nightmare-inducing mistake that I cannot stand (1.75 out of 5). This recent computer animated version finds a sweet spot somewhere in between.

Unlike Grinches past, our main character is not a total recluse. He lives alone in the mountains with his dog Max, but he frequents Whoville for groceries. When a failed attempt to ruin the Whoville Christmas tree lighting event triggers repressed memories from his childhood, the Grinch determines to eliminate Christmas for the Whos altogether to deprive them of joy like him. He and Max dress up like Santa and a reindeer on a quest to steal Christmas from everyone in Whoville. Their mission puts them on a collision course with Cindy Lou Who, who is plotting to trap Santa on Christmas Eve night for an important request.

I was very critical about all the invented backstory in the live-action Grinch movie. I didn’t need flashbacks, heavy-handed emotions, or spurned romantic feelings. This movie includes flashbacks that provide context for why the Grinch comes to target Christmas, but it’s quick and less in your face about it. Maybe I’m a hypocrite, but the handling of it here makes it agreeable for me. This Grinch doesn’t hate Christmas or people, he hates the way people made him feel unwanted as a child, especially around Christmas. His lashing out at Christmas is a way to level the playing field.

The animation is a high point for this movie, and really hammers home the point that the Grinch is a story best told through animation. The scenery is gorgeous, the Grinch looks believable, and all the background details and Whoville are designed with a playfulness that feels like Dr. Seuss’s book has really come to life. No monster Muppet Grinch or borderline grotesque Whos here!

Perhaps the one flaw is that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Grinch is a little too middle of the road. His voice doesn’t stand out, and few if any of the Whos exude much in the way of memorable personalities. It looks great, it goes down smooth, but it doesn’t make much of an impression. Maybe the filmmakers were trying to avoid the kind of polarizing response the live-action version received, but perhaps they played it just a bit too safe. Either way, this is a solid film that gets the job done without too much noise (though not for lack of the Whos trying).

FINAL RATING: 3.5 out of 5