The Cat In The Hat
PG, 75 m Universal and Dreamworks Starring: Mike Meyers, Kelly Preston, and Alec Baldwin Directed by Bo Welch
She said
By EMILY ZEMLER
1.5 / 4 stars
Attention all Hollywood directors and producers: If you happen to have an adaptation of Dr. Seuss currently in the works, I suggest you make like Mastroianni in "8 1/2" and abandon it immediately. Sure, we all love Dr. Seuss, and in theory, an adaptation of one his ever popular children's books would be both marketable and entertaining. But this is not the case in "The Cat in the Hat."
The latest piece of Hollywood crap to emerge from the bowels of the Los Angeles production studios is an adaptation of "The Cat in the Hat," a film that is indeed marketable, but not so entertaining. If you have watched even five minutes of television in the last two weeks you may have noticed that every product currently available on the market is being endorsed by none other than our friendly neighborhood feline.
I hate product placement. And that is just what this movie is a 73-minute commercial that just happens to be playing on the big screen. Clearly, none of these companies need real ad campaigns if a Dr. Seuss character is promoting their products.
Unfortunately, the over-the-top product placement is not the worst part of this movie.
The worst part is Mike Myers. The entire way through the film I just kept thinking: "Is this the fourth 'Austin Powers' movie?" Indeed, Myers, being the show-off that he is, takes every possible opportunity to use a funny voice or an asinine laugh, all of which come off as nothing but annoying. And since when does the Cat in the Hat have a Boston accent?
The kids that play Conrad and Sally are cute, but no amount of cuteness can save this film. The sexual innuendos and bathroom humor that explode out of the Cat's mouth are not appropriate for the child audience this film is directed at, and they are not appropriate for Dr. Seuss. Congratulations, Myers, you have successfully violated what could be the children's-book equivalent of the Bible.
The bottom line is that this film is not suitable for children or adults of any age.
He said
By ALEX KARGHER
3 / 4 stars
Dr. Seuss was the bread and butter of my childhood. In fact, his book "I Can Read With My Eyes Closed" was the first book I ever read with my eyes closed. Needless to say, when rumors of a live action version of "The Cat In The Hat" became a reality,
I was excited. Yet, after seeing "The Cat In The Hat," I am conflicted. My child-hood memories make me want to see it again and again, yet my cynical mind makes me want to disregard it for what it is: a kids' film with clever dialogue and enough pop-culture references to fill that mystical hat.
The Cat, played with sass and then some by Mike Meyers, is a dynamic live action character, an amalgam of Seuss and 21st century DNA, and it is through his furry paws that the film plays out. Unfortunately, like those big, mischievous paws, "The Cat In The Hat," is not the same as the 1957 book. Though the key plot (kids leaving the house in ruins with the help of the Cat) and messages (treat others as you would like to be treated, and respect your parents and family) are still there, some things are definitely ary in Antville.
While the above messages are tried and true for kids, I am theoretically an adult, thus for Brian Grazer, the producer, to get my attention and keep it for the brief span of 73 minutes, some things must be awry, or at least new to the film. Thankfully, "The Cat In The Hat" is a pop-culture junkie's dream. From the opening scene with sleek Ford Focuses in bright yellow and green to the cameo appearance by Paris Hilton, Grazer and crew provide enough eye candy and tongue-in-cheek inclusions that even the most pretentious viewer will take something away from the film.
