Theodore Geisel isn't merely rolling over in his grave -- he's spinning so fast that he's splintering the coffin around him into shards appropriate for teeth-picking.
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
Myers sounds like a cross between Paul Lynde and Austin Powers, and purr like The Wizard of Oz Cowardly Lion -- he doesn't have an original moment in the character.
To paraphrase Woody Allen, if Dr. Seuss were alive to see this production, he would never stop throwing up.
First published in 1957, The Cat In The Hat is one of the most-loved and best-selling children's books ever. It's also a mere 1,600 words -- and even at 82 minutes, the movie version seems like a big stretch.
It's so bad that Dr. Seuss should sue from the grave ... It is one of longest eighty minutes you'll ever spend in a theater.
You'll watch with a sneer and a throb in your head. You'll watch and you'll sit there and wish you were dead.
Creepier than Michael Jackson's mug shot, and yet very similar. Parents shouldn't leave their kids alone with this circus sideshow, either.
The Cat in the Hat is ostensibly a family film, yet it is filled with material that is inappropriate for children...A complete disaster.
... a shrill, soulless and disturbing void of imagination that murders the spirit of a beloved children's book -- which the filmmakers obviously have not read.
Entertaining? Not very. Bearable? Absolutely. It's a great looking movie that is unfortunately devoid of charm and the Cat's trademark...fun.
The best argument yet made for extending artists' rights beyond the grave.
Mangles one of the most famous children's books of the last 50 years, coarsening its charm in a stew of bathroom humor, ham-handed irony and cynical hucksterism.
It has filler that ranges from the superfluous to the distracting and some inexcusably vulgar humor, but when Cat takes over, it is entertaining.
A spirited fantasy that doesn't slow down long enough for the viewer to think about its flaws.
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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