Imagine a place where people ride in fancy modern cars, bushes are inflatable, trees run on batteries, and air is delivered to people’s homes. That would be Thneedville, a place that seems to be perfect aside from one detail: it’s completely artificial. There is no grass, trees, animals or any kind of nature or natural things. Air has to be delivered to homes because the regular air is too filled with smog and taking a dip in the lake could make you glow with toxic waste!
The Lorax is similar to the original book by Dr. Seuss in its message of taking care of the environment, but it also contains an original story and several humorous moments. The characters represent many different points of views, ranging from cruel business owners unconcerned with the consequences of their actions to people and animals who are concerned for the environment.
The story presents The Once-Ler (voiced by Ed Helms) as a young man who made wrong decisions even after The Lorax (voiced by Danny DeVito) warned him not to destroy the forest. As in the original book, the Lorax tells him, “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.”
In contrast to the storybook, the Lorax and the Once-Ler are friendlier to each other in the movie, and the Once-Ler is kind and generous to all of the Lorax’s friends in the beginning. The Lorax also attempts to give the Once-Ler advice as he says, “A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean.”
One of the most emotional moments in the movie is the scene in which the Lorax shows the Once-Ler how bad his actions truly were and how he has completely destroyed his forest. What makes this scene so gripping is the fact that the Once-Ler never realized that his ambitions had turned into greed and destruction, leaving him feeling completely devastated.
As a twist to the original storyline, the movie also presents Ted (voiced by Zac Efron), a young boy who visits the now old Once-Ler to find a real tree and win the love of Audrey (voiced by Taylor Swift). These changes actually help the plot of the story as they present how mistakes can be repaired if someone cares enough to change them.
Overall, The Lorax is a great movie filled with fun for audiences of all ages. Its cast of characters works well together to bring the movie to life and it delivers the powerful message of needing to take care of our environment, or be forced to live in a world without nature.
As Dr. Seuss wrote in his original story of the Lorax: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
