A big hit this Christmas season was The Grinch, an animated remake of the beloved 2000 classic. The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live in solitary in a dark cave on Mount Crumpet. When Christmastime comes, his neighbors in Whoville go all out with lights, decorations, and carols, much to the Grinch’s dismay. He realizes that there is only one way to get some peace and quiet: to steal Christmas. He goes door to door stealing presents, food, and holiday spirit. However, the Grinch has a change of heart when he meets a young girl named Cindy-Lou Who with a generous holiday spirit. The Grinch teaches that there is more to Christmas than just presents and candy canes.
Before seeing the 2018 version of The Grinch, I had high hopes after listening to the reviews of my friends and watching the hilarious trailer. I was excited to see what the newer version had to offer and what it would add to the story’s meaning. After watching the movie, I would rate it a 3/5. Although The Grinch was a funny spinoff of the classic, it did not add significantly to the legacy of Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
One of the biggest differences between the two movies was the overall appearance of the Grinch. In the 2000’s classic, the Grinch is a frightful ungroomed mess. In the newer version, the character has a softer and kinder face, making an appeal to children. Some of my friends even described him as “cute”, the exact opposite of his real portrayal. A friendly face takes away from the depiction of a mean and selfish character. Even the voice in the 2018 version is more appealing. Anthony Hopkins, the narrator in the older movie, speaks in a deep and grumpy tone to display the personality of the Grinch. In this version, narrator Pharrell Williams has a mellow and almost friendly voice.
Overall, The Grinch is a mediocre film that does not live up to the great legacy of Jim Carrey’s hit, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The target audience of this brightly animated movie is younger audiences because of the swirling colors and visuals to distract from the otherwise bland and ordinary film.
