How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The critic finds the film avoids typical Christmas sentimentality thanks to Ron Howard's direction and especially Jim Carrey's masterful performance as the Grinch, which blends pathos and malice effectively. The one standout is Carrey's energetic, witty portrayal that saves the movie from being preachy.

Dr Seuss's favourite gets big-budget Hollywood treatment from Ron Howard with an irrepressible Jim Carrey as the Grinch in a magical, visually splendid seasonal spectacular. It is a vivacious delight and heart-warmer that deserves to become a genre classic, though parents should note the dark humour and excesses may be too much for the very young.

The Hollywood version captures the endearing Seussian spirit of imaginative doodling, especially with Carrey's anti-hero on screen. Howard develops the story with ingenuity and sardonic wit, and Carrey's performance is a triumph.

The critic finds it an overstuffed but lively and amiable film whose spirit ultimately converts the inner curmudgeon, crediting Ron Howard's direction, the visual design and especially Jim Carrey's energetic performance as the Grinch.

The critic finds the film a dank, eerie and weird movie about a sour creature, with too much focus on meanness, unattractive production design and not enough sympathy or fun. Jim Carrey works hard but the effort is to small avail and the balance is off.

The critic finds Ron Howard’s adaptation sentimental and unimpressive, turning Dr Seuss’s absurdist tale into Hollywood slush with formulaic additions, though Jim Carrey’s performance in the title role provides some compensation.

The critic finds the film charmless and tonally inconsistent, failing to capture the whimsical fantasy of the source material despite Carrey's performance.

The critic calls it a shrill, strenuous production without charm that turns a simple tale sour, too scary and negative for families, with disagreeable characters and a lack of style or point of view despite Carrey's efforts.

The critic describes the film as a noisy, mechanical fantasy lacking magic or true sentiment, feeling like a video game arcade experience for children, despite its message about Christmas. The complaint is its lack of genuine emotion and over-reliance on spectacle and merchandise.

The critic calls the film a shrill, overstuffed and spiritless contraption clogged with gadgetry, effects and cynicism that buries the original moral. Jim Carrey's antics and the Whoville portrayal come off as mean-spirited and corrupting.

The review calls it a cynical, charmless travesty that desecrates the beloved book with ugly visuals, over-the-top performances, and commercial excess.

The critic praises the film as a triumph in seasonal comedy, highlighting the inspired script as a masterclass in black humour and Carrey's revelatory performance. They note it is as much an indictment of Christmas as a celebration, calling it essential viewing.

The critic finds the film disturbing and violent rather than funny, criticizing Carrey's exaggerated performance and the false sentiment, arguing it awakens primitive fears instead of delivering wholesome entertainment.