If you’re familiar with the Cat in the Hat character, you’re not going to be disappointed. The trailer captures the character’s wacky, magical, shenanigan-filled nature. I expected a bunch of madness, jokes, and moments filled with magic. The marketing did its job, and the trailers and teasers sold exactly what this movie is. The Cat in the Hat is truly fun, heartwarming, organized chaos.
Let’s talk about the main star, the Cat in the Hat. Bill Hader’s voice brought the Cat to life. The character really wants to make everyone feel better, and his methods are hilarious, messy, and ridiculous. The Things play a pivotal role without becoming overwhelming. Their interactions with the other main characters left me laughing each time, whether it’s their way of communicating or their knack for saving the day. The two kids he’s helping on his “final” mission, Gabby and Sebastian, react the way typical kids do after a big move. Gabby is sad about leaving her friends, and Sebastian is excited about the new possibilities. I really like Sebastian because he’s all about helping everyone. He’s there for Gabby, and he’s the driving force behind their final push to get back the lost Go-Backer. The chemistry between the Cat and Gabby is rough at first, but they eventually warm up to each other. You can tell the Cat is a professional, since he knows exactly what Gabby needs to get out of her funk about the move.
I felt like Gabby’s attitude for most of the movie was very obnoxious. It’s the typical “I’ve left everything behind” or “I want to move back” dialogue from kids who don’t think beyond themselves. She then steals the Go-Backer to get back to the family’s old home, which creates unneeded tension. The pacing was decent, and nothing dragged for long. The flashbacks repeat a few times and could be trimmed, since they pad the runtime.
The biggest missed potential was the lack of a real villain or high stakes. Thing 2 turning into the “monster” felt weird and created tension that didn’t fully work. It’s a kids’ movie, so I’m not expecting the Cat to have a true nemesis besides something of his own creation. The mess meter was also a strange rule. Bringing happiness to kids is always going to create a mess, so penalizing the Cat for it didn’t quite make sense.
The ending worked for the most part. They defeat the monster, which turns out to be Thing 2 after overusing the Go-Backer. Gabby understands why their mom moved in the first place: to give them the best life possible, built around the things they both love. The Cat allows Gabby to grow, embrace her awkwardness, discover how cool her mom is, and understand her point of view. Overall, The Cat in the Hat has plenty of wacky moments without letting them take over the movie. It also pulls from the books, with a nod to the full collection in a quick flashback. I would recommend seeing this movie in theaters with your kids.
