Grinch, The

Stars: Voices: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely, Angela Lansbury, Pharrell Williams

Director: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney

The legendary miserable green Xmas-hating humanoid killjoy, created by Dr Seuss is back again, in an attractively animated version, in which the Whos of Whoville state they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year. And inevitably the Grinch, not pleased at having his seasonal tranquillity invaded yet again, in fine miserable form sets out to keep his promise "I know what to do: I'm going to steal their Christmas!".

And his plan? Using a laid-back deer to pull his sleigh, the green grump poses as Santa on Christmas Eve - only, quite expectedly, his evil plans are destroyed by a young Who girl who, with her friends, foils the Grinch and turns him into someone so sweet he could well do with a large dose of insulin.

Undemanding Christmas-hungry youngsters should enjoy the animated sugary fun concocted by screenwriters Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow, but it's rather less likely that older kids will be quite as enthusiastic watching the bland leading the bland.

Alan Frank

USA/China 2018. UK Distributor: Universal. Colour.
82 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: U.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 15 Mar 2019

DVD review