Last weekend, I went to see “Dr. Suess’ The Lorax” at the newly-renovated Coronado Village Theater. I was extra excited to see the film because “The Lorax” was always one of my favorite books as a toddler. After buying some popcorn in the lobby and settling into my seat in the main auditorium, I put on my 3-D glasses and got ready to enjoy the show.
The movie opens with some background story about the city of Thneed-Ville. Everything is fake, including the trees and grass, and that’s how the citizens of the town like it. Even the air is sold by a greedy, controlling man named O’Hare. The main character is Ted, a young boy who is voiced by Zac Efron. His crush, Audrey, who is voiced by Taylor Swift, talks to him about how all she wants is to see a real tree. When Ted asks her what she would do if a guy bought her a tree, Audrey says, “Well, I would probably marry him on the spot.”
After consulting with his grandmother, voiced by Betty White, Ted ventures outside of the city to find The Once-ler, voiced by Ed Helms. Over several visits and lots of flashbacks, The Once-ler tells Ted the story of how he cut down all the trees to make a garment called a “Thneed.” The Once-ler arrived as a young man, just waiting to produce the next million-dollar idea. He hits the jackpot when he discovers that the Truffula Trees are perfect for making Thneeds. Soon, the Once-ler has chopped down every tree in the forest, much to the loathing of the talking woodland creatures. The animals are forced to move out of the woods, leaving the Once-ler alone in a desolate wasteland.
The animation in this movie is superb. I really thought that the three-dimensional glasses added to the experience. “My favorite part of the movie was the original music,” said Emily Dow, a movie viewer. Lots of song-and-dance numbers are entertaining for both adults and kids alike, but they also help to give extra information to the viewers.
The movie is a great experience for all ages. However, the talking animals and original music also speak to another purpose. The Lorax, who speaks for trees, warns the Once-ler many times, but the Once-ler goes on to destroy the environment. It is almost too late when Ted plants the last Truffula seed. The message in this movie is that we have to protect our environment and stop destroying it before it’s too late.
Length: Â86 minutes
Starring: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Betty White, Zac Efron and Taylor Swift
Rating: PG
See Coronado Village Theater times here.
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Sophia Zaller
Online Editorial Intern
eCoronado.com
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