Over the Hedge Review

Last Monday night my family and I attended a free ASIFA screening of Over the Hedge. While not perfect I thought that it’s was really good. My favorite parts were some of the characters. I really love the Squirrel and his manically childlike way of doing things. I also really enjoyed the Opossum Dad and Daughter. The Dad was William Shatner and it was awesome seeing him go into the hammy Captain Kirk type acting through out (especially when he was faking his death). Avril Lavine was actually really good as the daughter, really good job at playing off of Shatner. The Gary Handling and Bruce Willis Turtle and Raccoon characters had some really funny things to do and say. Another favorite were the three porcupine kids. I didn’t seem to enjoy the Porcupine parents and the Skunk though.

The two characters that really bugged me though were the two main humans and not because of the characters them selves, but because they were ugly. DreamWorks has yet to produce good looking human (With exception to Princess Fiona in Sherk). Both of them really bugged me.

The story was really great except for the heavy handed anti-commercialism message. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the message, it could have handled with a softer approach. A lot of heart was in the movie. My three year old loved the movie a lot and sat through the whole thing. Unfortunatly he was really scared by the bear and the two humans at the end. My wife commented that she didn’t like all of the nuts and potty humor. So be warned that this might not be for the really young if they get afraid of scary things or you don’t like potty humor.

Funny thing after we got home my wife and I watched the Apprentice and the prize for that week was to visit Dreamworks studios and meet Jeffery Katenberg and to do a voice recording. So the voice of the Barbeque guyis one of the Appretice contestants.

Thoughts? For these who have seen it please give you feelings.