The Cat in the Hat: reviews

What the critics say average 5.6 from 12 outlets

• 7.5 AwardsWatchJorge Tenreiro The Cat in the Hat is at its best when it simply lets the cat out of the bag and allows him to run wild. It is loud, unruly, and occasionally a little too pleased with its own chaos, but its good humor is hard to resist. Read
• 7.5 The Film VerdictAlonso Duralde This latest Cat captures the anarchic yet warm-hearted spirit of the original Dr. Seuss story, and it wisely sends the lead character off on a new adventure rather than try to bloat the classic 1957 tale (which, famously, employed fewer than 300 distinct words) into feature length. Read
• 7.0 IGNEric Goldman A new animated take on Dr. Seuss’ beloved whimsical creature runs longer than it needs to, but it’s still a genuinely funny and likable expansion of the character and his world. Read
• 7.0 EscribiendoCineLaia Cabuli Even so, the result is a convincing vindication of a character that shows wit and imagination can be far more effective than chaos alone. Read
• 6.5 HobbyConsolasRaquel Hernández Luján A likeable film that juggles to pay tribute to the source material while updating it and giving it some reach. It struggles to decide which audience it wants to address and to put together an understandable message. Read
• 5.0 Screen RantLiz Declan In the end, The Cat in the Hat undercuts its own wit, charm, and humor with a narrative that refuses any sort of cleaning up or streamlining, and that's really a shame. It's far from a completely miserable experience – it's actually plenty of fun to watch, and kids will likely love it. Read
• 5.0 Next Best PictureCody Dericks While the animators and voice actors deliver, it can't be emphasized enough just how overcrowded the story is. It feels wrong that anyone bringing their kids to see a film adaptation of a picture book should expect to be in the theater for over two hours, including trailers. Read
• 5.0 The Hollywood ReporterFrank Scheck It works well enough as a diverting animated effort geared to the youngest kids, and will eventually fulfill its role as streaming babysitter. But it could and should have been a whole lot more. Read
• 5.0 The A.V. ClubJacob Oller A handful of good gags, some relatively adventurous animation, and Bill Hader hamming it up far more palatably than Mike Myers means that this isn’t a desecration, but something more melancholic: A marketable softening of edges that will eventually blur so many classic creations into one another. Read
• 4.0 VarietyOwen Gleiberman All in all, I would give "The Cat in the Hat" about a 70 on the Mess-o-Meter — it "delivers," but in a hectic, bumptious, overcrowded and underfelt way. It's a kids' fantasy that's talking through its hat. Read
• 3.9 The WrapWilliam Bibbiani "The Cat in the Hat" isn't an incompetent production, but it's only competent at regurgitating a brand. The film is so inoffensive it makes no impression at all. Read
• 3.8 Associated PressMark Kennedy Making a mess of "The Cat in the Hat" didn't have to happen. It didn't have to have a possible rip in the time-space continuum. It didn't have to flood the zone with Things. And it doesn't need a sequel, please. Read