The Grinch (2018) Review
5:28 AM
It's never too early to be annoyed by Christmas.
Directed by Yarrow Cheney (The Secret Life of Pets) and Scott Mosier, and written by Michael LeSieur (You, Me and Dupree) and Tommy Swerdlow (Snow Dogs), The Grinch is Illumination Entertainment's reimagining of Dr Seuss's classic tale. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) voices the titular character; Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), Cameron Seely (The Greatest Showman), Angela Lansbury (Beauty and the Beast), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) and music star Pharrell Williams also lend their vocals. "A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville". After the success of The Lorax, Illumination Entertainment takes on The Grinch...but will it replace the live-action Jim Carrey adaption from 2000?
In terms of box office, Illumination Entertainment is on a winning streak: Despicable Me, and all of its sequels, has grossed over $3.7 billion worldwide and The Secret Life of Pets and Sing have also been big hits. Illumination's films have become infamous for crude humour that is (sadly) irresistible. The combination of Illumination, Benedict Cumberbatch and Dr Seuss already promises plenty of cash. Unfortunately, the financial department is the only area where The Grinch delivers. It is an underwhelming festive affair. Illumination has transparently manufactured The Grinch for success; it is pointless, unnecessary and does not have a patch on 2000's already-flawed How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Children will enjoy it for its bright colours, cute characters and festive theme, but the original filmic adaption has already stood the test of time and will not easily be overshadowed.
I can finally empathise with the naysayers of Disney's live-action fairytales - why rehash old ideas when the originals are still more than watchable? However, unlike Disney's fairytales, where, the live-action transformation can be visually impressive, this story has already been told using real people and real sets. This makes the computerising of The Grinch needless. In another 10-15 years, a remake of The Grinch may have been more exciting but in 2018, just 18 years after the original, this reimagining is just too soon. Can Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier's The Grinch even be called a reimagining? The story follows the exact same path - if anything, it simplifies and dilutes it further: there are minimal heart-warming moments, the Whoville Christmas song isn't as significant and the plot moves at a rapid pace. The only notable changes (from the Jim Carrey version) is the inclusion of Donna Who (Jones) instead of Lou Lou Who (played by Bill Irwin in 2000) - who knew this was a gender-swapped remake! I am unsure what warranted this remake.
Like its title character, The Grinch is a surprisingly cold-hearted film. There are some brief touching moments - when Cindy-Lou (Seely) reveals her Christmas wish is to relieve her mother's stress and how each resident of Whoville contributes to the Christmas tree - but for the most part, it lacks the feel-good charm and warmth of classic festive films. Jim Carrey's portrayal of the character is iconic, it was inevitable that Benedict Cumberbatch was going to be unable to top Carrey with just his voice. Cumberbatch nails the sarcastic tone and grumpy groans. The Grinch relies mostly on (mild) dark comedy - the audience laughs at the expense of the supporting characters and how The Grinch treats them. Illumination's version of the character is quite adorable - The Grinch is a grumpy ball of green fluff. The Grinch's cave is much more ominous and atmospheric in the live action version; in 2018, it's brighter and not very Grinch-like. The character gets the same backstory and level of development as he did in 2000 - he hates Christmas because he spent his childhood lonely. Benedict Cumberbatch as a live-action Grinch in 10-15 years is something I would be willing to see.
Cindy-Lou becomes a slightly more three-dimensional character, even though it also feels like she has less of a presence. Cheney and Mosier's The Grinch gives Cindy-Lou a somewhat moving B-story. At the same time as The Grinch is planning to steal Christmas, Cindy-Lou is plotting how she will make her Christmas wish come true. The film parallels these plans nicely, cutting between the pair's polarizing agendas. The character of Cindy-Lou has evolved with the times - she's more headstrong, determined and lively than before. Cindy-Lou still has her unique hair, even if it's not as well-kempt and 'stylish' as Taylor Momsen's depiction. Cameron Seely has an adorable voice, much like Elsie Fisher from Despicable Me. I am surprised the Illumination team didn't steer the script to create a relationship between Cindy-Lou and The Grinch à la Agnus and Gru; the characters are definitely similar.
Despite being an underwhelming, (mostly) unfunny and unneeded remake, The Grinch will still succeed because it's bright colours and festive setting will appeal to families this Christmas season. It is a harmless cash grab that is essentially a computerized version of the 2000 classic. The reimagining of Cindy-Lou works but the same cannot be said for The Grinch who is a diluted version of himself. Cumberbatch delivers but is limited to his vocal cords. Illumination Entertainment has succeeded in creating a version of this story that is bright, colourful and child-friendly. Sadly, it is a very uninspired reimagining. Why watch The Grinch when How the Grinch Stole Christmas exists?
53
/100
What did you think of THE GRINCH? Was this remake needed? - COMMENT BELOW
1 comments
Illumination makes fun movies so I plan to see it. But I'm not surprised it doesn't hold a candle to How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
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