The filmmakers seem to have decided that the Dr Seuss charm was too simple for them, opting instead for knowing, crude humour full of pop culture references
Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:148
Fresh:18
Rotten:130
Average Rating:3.3/10
Consensus: Filled with double entendres and potty humor, this Cat falls flat.
Runtime: 72 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: This adaptation of the classic children's book stars Mike Meyers (AUSTIN POWERS) as the wily talking cat with a tall striped hat and more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Set in a colorful... This adaptation of the classic children's book stars Mike Meyers (AUSTIN POWERS) as the wily talking cat with a tall striped hat and more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Set in a colorful make-believe world, the film tells the classic tale of a sister and brother, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), who pass a rainy afternoon with their crotchety baby sitter Mrs. Kwan (Amy Hill), during which they receive a visit from the mysterious Cat in the Hat, who leads them on a series of colorful, illogical, silly misadventures. Meanwhile their mother (Kelly Preston), her paranoid boss (Sean Hayes), and her phony boyfriend (Alec Baldwin), present obstacles for the children as they become part of the Cat's chaotic world. With candy colored sets that pop off the screen and zany special effects that give the story a decidedly 21st century spin, this movie presents a fast-paced and very nontraditional rendering of Dr. Seuss. The rhyming lines that usually characterize Dr. Seuss stories are referenced here, but modern jokes that riff on television advertisements and pop psychology are given more importance. Dakota Fanning is utterly adorable as little Sally, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 are delightful in their chittering and acrobatics. A bright and happy film packed with dazzling stunts, DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT is an entertaining treat. [More]
Starring: Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning
Starring: Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin, Amy Hill, Sean Hayes, Brittany Oaks, Taylor Rice
Director: Bo Welch
Director: Bo Welch
Screenwriter: David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer, Alec Berg
Producer: Brian Grazer
Studio: Universal Pictures
Reviews for Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat is perhaps the worst holiday movie ever made.
It's a noisy nightmare, a hugely impersonal, manufactured product. It shows not only a complete disregard for children, but also utter contempt.
Where The Cat book was anarchistic but ultimately sweet-spirited, this movie is ugly, dumb and colossally mean-spirited.
Comes scarily close to being the most unendurable Hollywood creation of the last dozen years.
Fascinating to look at though we hate to sound sore, but this cat should have known that less is way more.
There are two, and only two, noteworthy things about The Cat in the Hat. It's visually impressive, and Mike Myers has a field day. Other than that, the movie is entirely forgettable.
much of the film is padded out by the comic business of Mike Myers' cat, in a deeply flawed role falling somewhere between a stand-up dying on stage or an alcoholic clown harassing kids at a birthday party.
I don't remember a rave scene with a cameo by hoochy hotel heiress Paris Hilton in Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, do you?
The Cat is a letdown, I ruefully confess. Once again the studio has made Seuss a mess.
The Addams Family-Beetlejuice-Monkey Bone loving lot of you should RUN to this spectacular outrageously brave kaleidoscopic colorburst of a mindtripilous film. Not for kids...
The movie is so disappointing, in fact, that it makes Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas look like a masterpiece.
You can sum up the worthy aspects of this one in two words -- Mike Myers.
The movie has some mildly amusing moments, but it completely lacks the wild glee and irresistible rhythm of the book.
Latest News for Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat
August 01, 2007:
Trailer Bulletin: Horton Hears a Who
The last few times somebody tried to turn Dr. Seuss into a movie, the results were ... How the Grinch Stole Christmas and (dear lord) The Cat in the Hat. And then somebody got... More...
June 02, 2006:
Mike Myers to Adminster Some "Self-Help"
Funnyman Mike Myers looks poised to make a comeback after his "Cat in the Hat"-inspired vacation, and one of his new projects will be a goofy comedy about a nutty... More...
March 11, 2005:
Fox & Blue Sky to do "Horton" via CGI
The Hollywood Reporter brings us news that Fox and Blue Sky Studios have won the rights to bring Dr. Seuss' classic "Horton Hears a Who" to the big screen. Blue Sky's... More...
October 28, 2003:
News, reviews, links and pictures of The Cat. ![]()
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