Over the Hedge

“Over the Hedge” is one of the few comic strips where you will see discussions about the Theory of Relativity, population control, and global warming. None of those issues are talked about in the 2006 animated film inspired by the strip, but there is a large amount about suburban stretch, junk food, and the popularity of the SUV (“How many people does it hold?” “Usually one.”)

The movie starts with the arrival of spring and the awakening from the hibernation of many forest animals, including some that do not hibernate, but never mind. Vincent the bear, voiced by Nick Nolte, wakes up to find that his entire amount of stolen food has been – stolen! He catches the master thief RJ the raccoon, voiced by Bruce Willis, and gives him a deadline to return the food, or else. RJ smartly calls the entire population of the forest to help him on this task (where he does not explain the bear and the deadline). Together they confront a great development: During the winter, half of their forest has been replaced by a suburb, and they are separated from it by a large hedge.

Roger Ebert described in his review, “That's the setup for a feature cartoon that is not at the level of "Finding Nemo" or "Shrek," but is a lot of fun, awfully nice to look at, and filled with energy and smiles. It's not a movie adults would probably want to attend on their own, but those taking the kids are likely to be amused, and the kids, I think, will like it just fine.”

Once again, we get an animal population where all the species work together instead of eating each other, and there is even the possibility of other species mating when a human’s house cat falls in love with Stella the skunk, voiced by Wanda Sykes. There are also the usual animals. Mammals and reptiles are the top of the line, but when a dragonfly gets caught by an insect zapper, no one feels sad.

These animals once ate leaves and roots and stuff, but everything changed when Hammy the squirrel, voiced by Steve Carell, found nacho chips. Ebert said, “The animals find these so delicious, they are the forest equivalent of manna, and RJ, who usurps leadership of the bunch from Verne the turtle (Garry Shandling), is happy to lead them to the promised land of nachos and other junk foods, in the garbage cans and kitchens of humans.”

Like every human who likes to live with a look of beautiful forests, the humans in “Over the Hedge” are personally offended that they are occupied by animals. Gladys (Allison Janney), the head of the homeowners’ association, is personally insulted that RJ and his clique might violate her garbage can and brings in Dwayne (Thomas Haden Church), a pest control expert known worryingly as The Verminator. “I want them exterminated as inhumanely as possible,” she tells him. She’s all heart.

Ebert said, “The encroachment of the forest animals and the efforts of the Verminator in "Over the Hedge" don't approach the wit and genius of a similar situation in the Academy Award-winning "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" (2005), but then how could they? This movie is pitched at a different level. But the action scenes are fun, the characters are well-drawn and voiced, and I thought the film's visual look was sort of lovely.” If the animals lack the disdainful thinking of their originals on the comics page, they are nevertheless a notch or two above the I.Q. levels of many an animated creature.

They have to be. It’s a hard life for a hunter currently when you’re caught between an angry bear on one side of the hedge and a street hockey game on the other.

I saw this with my sister and cousin and we enjoyed it. I understand that this film may not be liked by people, but I can see why. However, I think it was enjoyable and it was a harmless kids film that everyone could see. Check it out and see for yourself.

Next week I will look at another animated movie in “Steve Carrell Month.”