This movie is adapted from a children's book of the same title written by Dr. Seuss which was first published in 1972.
Perhaps it might be a little late to write a review for this animation now but I only got to watch it on cable last weekend and I must say I could totally relate to the storyline which brings forth a very strong message about the crisis that we are facing right at the moment.
The story revolves around twelve-year old Ted (Zach Efron), an ordinary boy living in the walled-up town of Thneedville where everything is artificial.
In this climate-controlled town, the air is not clean and the townsfolk had to buy bottled oxygen from Mr. O'Hare, the greedy proprietor of a bottled oxygen company and who's also the mayor of Thneedville.
Trees had long been extinct and the only trees and flowers they had were all made of plastics.
When Audrey (Taylor Swift), the girl whom Ted is carrying a torch for wished nothing more than just to see a real, living tree, he spared no effort to sneak out of town in search of the legendary Once-ler (Ed Helms) who knows what exactly happened to the trees and most importantly, where to find one.
The townsfolk of Thneedville are self-sufficient as they manufacture everything they need so they never have to leave town but as Ted discovers on his way out, the world outside the high wall that surrounds their town is actually a contaminated and gloomy place.
Ted eventually found Once-ler who lived far outside the town where the grass never grows, and the wind smells slow and sour when it blows, and no birds ever sing excepting old crows.
Truffula Trees grew for miles
Once-ler recounts how he had left home one day to seek his fortune without much support from his family who thinks he would never amount to anything.
He travelled far and wide and soon came to this valley where Barbaloots lived and Truffula trees grew for miles.
He discovered the tuft on top of the trees to be softer than silk and makes the perfect material for his invention - the Thneed.
As he chops down the first tree to harvest the tuft, it summons The Lorax, an orange and grumpy creature with a huge moustache.
The Barbaloots loved Marshmallows
The Lorax identifies himself as the guardian of the forest and that he speaks for the trees for the trees had no tongues.
Once-ler promises not to chop down another tree but when his Thneed unexpectedly becomes a hit, he invites his family over to help him expand his business.
He promised The Lorax to harvest the tufts in a sustainable manner but he was soon convinced by his family that it would be more efficient to just chop down the trees.
Due to his insatiable greed, trees began falling and The Lorax's pleas fell on deaf ears. His growing business spiraled into a terrible mess of deforestation.
When the last Truffula tree falls, Once-ler had no more raw materials to produce Thneed and his business failed. His family deserted him and so did all his animal friends who could no longer make this place their home.
The Lorax heaved a deep sigh of resignation before lifting himself into the air and disappeared into the gloomy skies.
Once-ler was overcome with guilt as he realised the valley has turned into a complete wasteland with no signs of life. Thus began his life in solitude, too late to reflect or salvage his actions.
As Once-ler ends his story, he hands the last surviving seed of a Truffula Tree to Ted and instructs him to plant it in the middle of the the town where everyone could see it.
As trees produced oxygen, there is no way that O'Hare would allow one seed to undermine his business and he wants it destroyed at all cost because who would pay for his bottled oxygen if they could get it for free from the trees?
O'Hare tries to dissuade the townsfolk from planting that seed as trees are filthy and it's leaves just fall wherever they want. And it spewed stinky, nasty sap all over the place while attracting poisonous ants and stinging bees.
The people were contented with the way things are and were not so sure if they wanted a tree but all that changed when Ted broke down the steel wall with a bulldozer that they finally saw the reality of the state of the environment outside their town.
The reality that was kept away from the townsfolk
The Lorax is an educational story to remind kids AND adults alike how industrialisation leave an imapact on our environment and what adverse reaction global warming would have on all of us.
Everyone plays a part in saving our environment for without trees, there will be no oxygen to sustain life.
Every decision we make would have a direct or indirect effect detrimental to our survival, so let us all make the right choice by not hurting it.
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, its not." - Dr Seuss
