The remake of The Grinch is narrated by Pharrell Williams while Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch. Photo Credit: Marco Verch
By Marc Torres
Last month, The Grinch was released. Written by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow, and directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney The Grinch was also narrated by Pharrell Williams, and The Grinch was voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.
This version of The Grinch follows the same Dr.Seuss story we’ve all come to know and love. The Grinch and his dog, Mac, live in a cave. Christmas time comes in Whoville and The Grinch spends time plotting how to stop the people of Whoville from enjoying the holidays. Of course he can’t stop the spirit of Christmas, and finds out that it’s impossible for him to do so. His heart grows too. It’s the same story done again for the third time on screen.
The film itself is completely animated like the 1966 version. This 2018 version is probably one of the best adaptations. It comes close to the 1966 version people love, except it’s funnier since the humor is newer and things kids understand now are different than in 1966. It feels fresh. It is also definitely better than Jim Carrey’s 2000 adaptation, as this version is animated and allows a bit more freedom for what the Grinch can and cannot do. Plus, it isn’t as corny as the live action version.
The soundtrack was composed by Tyler The Creator and Danny Elfman. The soundtrack isn’t that good and can be annoying to hear throughout the movie. It isn’t very fun to listen to at all, nor does it sound that Christmassy.
There were little to no updates on the story, which wasn’t exactly disappointing but it wasn’t very fun to watch since everyone knows the story already. It felt repetitive to watch and made me ask myself “why am I watching this again?”
The animation itself was smooth and worked well with the script. I enjoyed a laugh or two because of the script, and the animation was pretty entertaining as it was colorful, and brought The Grinch to life.
Overall, I definitely recommend this movie if you’re taking a child who’s never seen the story of The Grinch before. It’s funny, family friendly, and somewhat fresh. However, it’s pretty forgettable if you know the story already.
