Very impressed, actually consistent movie.

Rating: 7/10 (17 June 2006)

Computer animation is something I'm really growing out of. Madagascar? Hated it. Robots? Slept through it. Over the Hedge though was a very nice sigh of relief for the animation industry. Yes, some of it we have seen so many times over, I have quit many movies out of boring disgust. But after the curtain opener, the movie begins with an amazing visual of forestry that rests you into the movie. The characters are also something we've all seen before too. The possum father/daughter combo, the family porcupines, the token skunk, the characters are beside the point, not to mention their scenes are all stolen essentially by the brilliant use of Hammy. From the use of red lights to caffeine to 'rabbit' squirrels, Hammy and RJ own every scene they're in and are worth the admission ticket themselves.
A raccoon, starving for food, unwisely tries to steal a bear's stash. RJ is caught and is given roughly a week to recover it and then some. He runs into a family of 'foragers,' who have their own problems in the name of one Steve. Steve is a hedge and beyond it now lies a suburb that was built up over the winter.
Everything about Over the Hedge is very standard for computer animated films. You learn the same morals (families love you), see some silly movie references ("ROSEBUD!"), yada yada. But something about this movie keeps the same stuff sharp. It's crisp. The climax is very solid, the voice over work is just as good. It's a good film and you may just enjoy it.