The animated “The Cat in the Hat,” with Bill Hader voicing the title character, has drawn two very different verdicts. Ricardo Aymar of The Hollywood Handle awards it four out of five stars, while Katie Walsh’s review in the Los Angeles Times finds it “far more maudlin than mischievous.”
The clearest dividing line is the emotional storytelling. Aymar writes that he worried the story would feel generic and soulless, but instead found “an inspiring, funny, and heartwarming story about childhood, caring for one another, and finding yourself.” He also praises the ending as a satisfying conclusion to an adventure for all ages.
Walsh sees the emphasis on life lessons as the problem. She calls the storytelling “highly formulaic and bogged down with mawkish and overstated lessons” about family and accepting one’s circumstances. In her assessment, the sentiment overwhelms the simple, silly fun that should define the character.
Their responses to Hader are much closer. Aymar calls him “perfectly cast,” praising the distinctive touch he gives the Cat. Walsh also credits his vocal range and ability to express the character’s erratic personality, even as she argues that the emotional themes override his gifts.
Both reviewers find something to admire in the mixed animation styles, though Walsh’s praise has limits: she finds the film’s “real world” gray and bland. Where Aymar celebrates a funny, emotional adventure, Walsh’s final verdict is considerably shorter: “Not fun (enough).”
