Warner Bros. has returned to Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” with a new animated film that sends its troublemaking protagonist on a journey through three magic moving boxes. The 107-minute movie, rated PG for action, peril, mild language, and rude humor, is now in theaters. Bill Hader voices the Cat, who is reimagined as a corporate employee tasked with making unhappy children happy while managing the chaos he often causes.
Directed by Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni, the film departs from the 2003 live-action adaptation starring Mike Myers, which was widely panned. This time, the Cat’s mischief is framed within a workplace setting resembling “Monsters, Inc.” His colleagues include Mouse in a Blouse and Sherri from HR, and the Cat faces a year-end performance review that could end with his dismissal if he fails to improve.
The story centers on siblings Gabby, a “band geek” played by Xochitl Gomez, and her younger brother Sebastian, voiced by Tiago Martinez. Their single mother Carmen, portrayed by America Ferrera, has just relocated the family to a new town. The Cat offers to help the children use his time-travel device, the Go-Backer, to return to their previous home. However, the device has been lost inside one of the cardboard moving boxes, which have transformed into expansive, otherworldly realms.
The three boxes reflect the perspectives of Gabby, Sebastian, and their mother. The film’s visual style recalls Pixar’s “Inside Out,” but lacks the same creativity or distinctiveness. For example, Carmen’s pasta art comes to life but moves without much energy or charm. The animation blends classic cartoon lines with 3D textures but often looks more suited to direct-to-DVD fare than a major theatrical release.
The narrative leans heavily on familiar moral lessons. As the characters navigate these box-universes on a flying couch, they evade a monster called the Something. Ultimately, the film delivers a string of expected messages: love your mother, appreciate your siblings, and value home as family. These themes feel aimed at very young children, raising the question of whether today’s seven-year-olds need reminders to “adore their mommies more.”
Paula Pell voices a scolding landlady, and Giancarlo Esposito plays the Cat’s strict boss, but the film remains overwhelmingly sentimental. Bill Hader’s vocal performance offers some relief. Known for his work on “Saturday Night Live,” Hader brings a rapid, dry delivery that avoids the usual cute caricature and manages to squeeze out a few laughs.
Despite these moments, the jokes are scattered and not enough to counterbalance what one reviewer called “90 commodity minutes of green eggs and schmaltz.” The film’s attempts to turn the Cat into a more fleshed-out character fall flat, and the story’s division into three separate realms makes the pacing uneven, often prompting viewers to check their watches.
Warner Bros.’ latest “Cat in the Hat” adds a corporate satire angle to the familiar family adventure but struggles to find a consistent tone or visual flair. The film’s effort to modernize the character with workplace woes and magical moving boxes leaves it caught between slapstick and sentimentality without fully succeeding at either.
According to NY POST.
