Taylor Swift One of the most popular singers of all time, she has only appeared in a few films, but one of her most successful films doesn’t even feature her on screen. With a number of Illumination and especially animated Dr. Seuss films coming to Netflix’s film library in August 2024, some controversial entries from the 2000s and 2010s are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. These Netflix streaming hits now include The Loraxthe 2012 adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s book of the same name, which, despite its commercial success upon release, divided critics.

Alongside big names like Zac Efron and Danny DeVito, The LoraxTaylor Swift is also one of the voice actors and plays a prominent role in the animated adaptation, which is accompanied by music. The Lorax was only Taylor Swift’s second feature filmjust two years after her memorable role in the star-studded ensemble of Garry Marshall’s 2010 film Valentine’s Day. While Taylor Swift’s documentaries and concert films have dominated her film career, Netflix’s top 10 movies in August 2024 are a great reminder of her often-forgotten acting roles from the 2010s, with The Lorax It is one of her projects that has received the most criticism.

“The Lorax” is trending on Netflix now – Who voices Taylor Swift and why is the film so popular?

“The Lorax” is now a streaming hit on Netflix

More than 12 years after its cinema release The Lorax has found a new life on Netflix and is included in the top 10 hottest films on the streaming platformThe animated musical comedy film is about 12-year-old Ted (Efron), who lives in a city where there is almost no nature, as neither trees nor flowers grow there. However, Ted wants to win over his great love Audrey (Swift) by finding a Truffala tree, which leads him to the Lorax (DeVito), the guardian of the forest, and the Once-ler (Ed Helms), who has given up his care for nature out of greed.

While Zac Efron’s Ted and Danny DeVito’s Lorax are at the helm of The Lorax‘s story, Taylor Swift’s Audrey Looks to Drive the Plot in the Animated Dr. Seuss Movie. It is Ted’s love for her that leads him to seek out the Lorax and ultimately facilitates the reunion of the forest warden and the Once-ler. Shockingly, despite Taylor Swift’s fame as a musician, Audrey has no solo songs or appearances on The LoraxFor a musical, it is a great missed opportunity that High School MusicalZac Efron and Grammy winner Taylor Swift do not sing.

Doesn’t matter, The Lorax has maintained sustained popularity over the past decade. Part of the film’s resurgence in popularity was aided by scenes that went viral on social media in recent years, such as the dances at the end of the film, surprising jokes from the title character or fans impressively dressing up as the orange title character. Animated adaptations of Dr. Seuss’ books continue to enjoy great popularity across several generations, and The Lorax was unique because it featured some of the most notable young stars for the voice acting, including Swift and Efron.

Why the movie “Lorax” divided critics so much

The Lorax, which expands Dr. Seuss’ whimsical world and adapts the book’s message, met with mixed reactions

Although it remains one of the most successful Taylor Swift films in which she did not appear as herself, The Lorax was not a great success with critics. The Lorax currently has a rating of 54% from critics on Rotten Tomatoeswhich indicates a mixed and divided reaction. However, the children’s film was relatively better received by the audience and achieved a score of 63% on the viewers’ “Popcornmeter”. While The Lorax has higher ratings than in 2003 The Cat in the Hat and 2018 The GrinchThe mixed response was a step in the wrong direction after the 79% result in 2008. Horton hears a who!

The LoraxThe divisive reactions were largely based on the plot and charactersas the film’s animation achievements, music and original songs, and the performances of the cast were generally praised. When the film was adapted into a larger story with Hollywood-style additions and embellishments, many critics believed that these additions resulted in the book’s simpler moral message being distorted. At its core The LoraxThe book conveys an important environmentally friendly message while condemning the impact of corporate greed on conservation. The quirky gimmicks of Hollywood in The LoraxThe adaptation of The Last Man was ultimately criticized for watering down the book’s more direct moral lessons.

Despite it, The Lorax is hailed as a funny, visually impressive and entertaining family film that is easy to watch. The book’s underlying message is widely praised by critics, but the division lies largely in the implementation of this vision in expanding its eccentric world. Since most The LoraxAlthough the characters in the film are new, there has also been criticism of the lack of development or three-dimensional portrayal of the new characters. Taylor Swift’s character Audrey is an example of this, as some critics pointed out that she deserved more screen time since her desires ultimately dictate the plot.

“The Lorax” is still Taylor Swift’s highest-grossing film at the box office

“The Lorax” still surpasses the record box office revenue of the Eras Tour film

Despite the mixed reactions of critics, The Lorax remains a triumph for Taylor Swift as this film holds the record for her highest-grossing film. The Lorax grossed about $350 million at the box office with a budget of around $70 million (via Box Office Mojo), making it a commercial success that surpasses Swift’s other four feature films, Valentine’s Day (2010), The Giver (2014), Cats (2019) and Amsterdam (2022). Impressive, The Lorax also recorded higher box office figures than Taylor SwiftRecord-breaking The Epoch Tour Concert film that grossed over $261 million at the 2023 box office.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo