It is highly probable that there are giant inhabitants in a macro universe out there who view us in the same manner that we view amoeba under a microscope. When Horton (voice of Jim Carrey), hears a cry from a microscopic inhabitant (voice of Steve Carell) on a speck of dust, in Horton Hears a Who! he gently places it upon a flower. Chased, he holds onto it while running through ice and flying between mountains. To save them becomes his mission.
The social order comprises a variety of birds and animals.
There are the insecure guardians of society, represented here by a mother kangaroo who does not encourage youth asking ‘unwanted’ questions. “If you cannot see, hear, or think something, then it does not exist”, she scolds the kid who sits in her pocket. Now, there is a limit to which one will allow one’s head to be pushed down into the corners. Such suppressed kids either grow up timid and afraid to face the world or, like our kid kangaroo, one day, rebels and goes their own way to do what they must.
There are the monkeys who have no value for things and show their disrespect even towards food. There is the mass who have no fixed beliefs and may be persuaded to switch sides.
And then, there are the great fellows, such as our hero, Horton. It’s a good thing that he happens to be an elephant, for it gives him an excellent ear for listening to others and hearing things that most everyone generally don’t. The happy, reliable fellow is quite a popular fellow in the jungle kingdom. Therefore, he has his enemies too.
The chief problem with hearing and doing things that others don’t, though, is that you risk the danger of being branded as a useless nutcase and being ostracized by society. For, every society would have its individuals think in a particular manner, and does not approve of non-conformists challenging its ancient, often-outdated structure.
The idea of a mighty elephant being afraid of a skinny, scheming kangaroo, incidentally, says a lot about who, ideally, in our social set up, ought to be scared of whom. It shows that some important tough people simply do not realize how powerful they are, or can be.
Like all great comedians, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell lend to their respective characters a tone that is both lively and deeply sensitive.
Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino’s animated film brings alive a serene jungle and a futuristic world. Meant for all ages, it contains lovable real-life folk whom one can relate to. The sweetest of them all is the altruistic Horton whose acts of courage, caring, and selfless determination towards protecting a tiny, seemingly insignificant species at the cost of his own precious life is truly inspiring.
