Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 2, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
46
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
11
Negative:
6
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
EmpireOlly RichardsJul 23, 2012
Lovely to look at and with some fun material not of Seuss' invention, but it's too hectoring, like reading an environmental textbook with jolly pictures. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanMar 1, 2012
While softening Geisel's darker themes, they still meld a valuable message into catchy songs, bright images (nicely done in 3D) and funny characters. Read full review
60
Time OutJoshua RothkopfFeb 29, 2012
Unfortunately, a new problem rears its head: It seems no young audience member can be trusted to enjoy a thoughtful story without a heroic, borderline-obnoxious surrogate (here, he's voiced by Zac Efron) zooming around on a scooter, bonking villainous heads and saving the day. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubTasha RobinsonFeb 29, 2012
The handful of songs are catchy, and the whole film feels pleasantly airy. But this is a dark story with a heavy message, and it's been transformed into a harmless, pretty confection. In defanging it for comic effect, the filmmakers have done Seuss as much of a disrespectful disservice as if they'd laid on the fart gags. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jennie PunterMar 1, 2012
So it's puffed up with lots of extraneous stuff – Super fun for the kids but for grown-ups? Just fluff. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleAmy BiancolliMar 1, 2012
You know what? The whole thing is harmless. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsMar 1, 2012
You couldn't accuse the film of practicing what it preaches: careful stewardship of a precious resource. Read full review
40
Total FilmJonathan CrockerJul 19, 2012
Fake plastic trees, fake plastic entertainment? The Lorax is immensely colourful, catchy and cheery. Then again, it's also gaudy, bland and recycled. You can do better. Read full review
40
Village VoiceNick PinkertonMar 3, 2012
Par for the course in blowout CGI adaptations, a great deal of detail and bustle is gained at the expense of charm - for all the miracles these armies of animators can achieve, they have yet to successfully reproduce a humble artist's line. Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranMar 1, 2012
This movie version adds a whole lot of other stuff, most of it not very good and not in keeping with the spirit of the Seuss original. Read full review
40
MovielineStephanie ZacharekMar 1, 2012
The Lorax is so big, flashy and redundant that it courts precisely the kind of blind consumerism it's supposed to be condemning. It doesn't trust kids to sit still and pay attention for even a minute. Read full review
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