After Ron Howard’s brilliant live action interpretation of the curmudgeon who hates Christmas, it was hard to know if an animated remake would be any better.

With the help of an exceptional lead performance from Benedict Cumberbatch, beautiful animation and a familiar yet original story, The Grinch.

This movie is another successful retelling of the story of an angry old grouch looking to take Christmas away from a town of holiday-happy cheer-mongers.

Khan, Smaug, Dr. Stephen Strange and now the Grinch; Cumberbatch’s talent as an actor stretches from the dramatic to the surreal.

Now, he takes a stab at playing as one of the holiday season’s greatest icons and he does it in a loving and hilarious fashion.

Granted his performance doesn’t come anywhere close to Jim Carrey’s absolute gut-wrenchingly funny performance in Ron Howard’s 2002 How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Despite that, Cumberbatch adds a new level of heart and emotion of the character that makes him feel so real and lovable.

The animation was absolutely gorgeous and exactly what I would expect from Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios; smooth and fluid. I only wish I had seen it in 3D.

Among the many impressive ways the animation was used, my favorite was the design of Whoville. It is exceptionally beautiful and intricate, and looked like it was taken right out of a page of Dr. Seuss’s book.

While there weren’t many changes made to the story of The Grinch, there were plenty of changes made to everyone’s favorite little who-darling, Cindy-Lou Who.

The one thing I loved most about her in the film was that they didn’t make her into a mousy little girl trying to bring everyone together for the holidays.

Instead, they turned her into a spunky, brave, determined little titan that only seeks to give her overworked mother the perfect Christmas present.

This alteration made the story feel more touching and original than other renditions that simply retell the story with a few additions to the plot.

While Illuminations, The Grinch adds to the list of renditions of Dr. Seuss’s classic Christmas story, the film fleshes out the characters well that they come out real and relatable than their previous counterparts.

Cumberbatch’s performance is the most touching and heartwarming display of Christmas spirit in a very long time.

For anyone looking for a truly wonderful expression of Christmas cheer or just simply looking for a good time at the movies with your family, I definitely recommend this film.

Overall, I give it a 9/10.