Craig Daily Press

Where can you find a species named after a pronoun, a plucky pachyderm and the most creative literary wording since Lewis Carroll?

The answer lies within the wonderfully wacky world of Dr. Seuss, whose “Horton Hears a Who” has finally hit the big screen.

One ordinary day in the Jungle of Nool, an elephant named Horton (voice of Jim Carrey) hears an infinitesimal sound coming from a floating speck of dust; his slightly overactive imagination leads him to believe that it could be an unseen person screaming for help, and that he is responsible for saving this tiny life form.

Placing the speck delicately on a clover, he attempts to make contact. Horton is startled to learn that he has not only saved a person, but an entire city’s worth of people, specifically the denizens of Whoville. Ned Malley (Steve Carell) is the mayor for this minute metropolis, and thanks to an odd coincidence, he is the only Who that can hear Horton’s voice.

Once he comes to the harsh realization that he and his constituents are literally dust in the wind, he begs Horton to find a safe place for their civilization. The elephant is more than happy to accommodate their needs, but he does not count on opposition from the self-appointed leader of the Jungle of Nool, a stubbornly self-righteous kangaroo (Carol Burnett) who refuses to let Horton undermine her authority by acknowledging the existence of the unseen Whos.

Dr. Seuss veteran Carrey is terrific as the gentle, goofy behemoth whose statement of “person’s a person, no matter how small” still has the same powerful resonance that it did 50 years ago.

Carell is no less entertaining as the frantic mayor who, despite trusting Horton, cannot help but think that the end of Whoville is near.

Burnett provides the perfect snooty manner as the Sour Kangaroo (as she is known in the book), a despotic marsupial who runs a kangaroo court as it were.

Will Arnett provides the thickly-accented voice of her henchman, vulture Vlad Vladikoff whose villainous attitude and fractured English phrasings are as foul as his molting feathers.

Also contributing to the all-star voice cast are Amy Poehler, Dan Fogler, Isla Fisher, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jaime Pressly and Jesse cCartney.

Besides having a genuinely hilarious ambiance in the Jungle of Nool and Whoville (the mayor’s tribulations in raising 96 daughters and one moody son are outstanding), the movie has some very deep undertones, like a number of selections from the Seuss library.

Besides taking physics into account, there are intensive philosophical questions to be considered in the nature of life and what constitutes it.

An additional look at the fallibility of authority figures is important too; while Horton must contend with the Kangaroo, the mayor has to answer to the condescending members of the city council (all of whom bear a noticeable resemblance to the Grinch) in a desperate attempt to convince them that they are in huge danger. These serious topics are excellently conveyed in a package that everyone can appreciate, regardless of their progress in picture books.

Filled with inspired animation, valuable morals and a spontaneous karaoke finale, “Horton Hears a Who” is a Dr. Seuss work as it should be. It is certainly a welcome change from the horribly distasteful Mike Myers version of “The Cat in the Hat.”

Now playing at the West Theater.