With likable characters and a well-written story, Over the Hedge is the gateway to the good life in it's 20th anniversary

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2016)

In 1998, DreamWorks Animation made their very first CGI animated feature film Antz alongside The Prince of Egypt. Both did very well with critical acclaim and a cast of talented actors. However, their last three traditional animated feature films under-performed (leaving The Road to El Dorado to bomb), so they decided to make more CGI animated features to compete against Pixar. With the success of Shrek and Madagascar in 2001 and 2005, they released another feature based on the 1995 comic strip known as "Over the Hedge".
It tells the story about RJ (Bruce Willis), a scheming raccoon who tries to steal some food from a bear named Vincent (Nick Nolte). However, the wagon that carries the food got crushed by a truck and RJ vows to get more food at the suburbs before the bear would kill him. One day, he comes across forest critters who discover a hedge that leads them to the neighborhood filled with people. After meeting RJ, they team up to get more food to last the entire spring and summer while the raccoon learns about family himself.
I was twelve years old when this film came out and I saw it in theaters. I loved it as much as everyone else until Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon came out and those became my favorite films DreamWorks has made. Don't get me wrong. This movie is really funny, but before I can give it some praise, I only have two problems with it.
First is the animation. It used to be great when it came out, but it's sad to say that it hasn't aged well. The visuals still hold up, but the character animation is a bit too stiff. It wasn't until 2010 when DreamWorks Animation improved on their animation by going into full detail in the character designs and visuals. Tim Johnson, who directed this film and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas before it, went on to direct the Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special and Home, both films that have much more detailed animation. The animation here isn't terrible, but like I said, it still doesn't hold up. Second, there are some moments that felt a bit forced aside from the film's memorably funny moments including Hammy's crazy rabid squirrel scene and such.
Now, with those flaws out of the way, everything else is great. The characters are likable especially RJ and the forest critters, Verne, Lou, Penny, the three porcupine kids, Heather, Ozzie, Stella, and of course Hammy which everyone loves. They share the film's hilarious moments while delivering the drama really well. Gladys Sharp, the human character, isn't exactly special, but she wasn't annoying. Dwayne the exterminator and Vincent the bear, however, are really fine villains, with Thomas Hayden Church delivering some of the funny lines while Nick Nolte shines in his menacing presence. The story line, despite some of the forced moments, is well-written and teaches the lesson about the true meaning of family in which the execution works, giving the film some heart in the process.
And of course, the humor which has some of the best moments DreamWorks Animation has made including the conversation between Tiger, a guard cat and Stella, the skunk, and Hammy stealing the show as the most hilarious and adorable little squirrel in the history of mankind. Aww. I just want to hug him. OK, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Overall, Over the Hedge isn't nearly as solid as the later films DreamWorks has made like say Kung Fu Panda, How To Train Your Dragon, Rise of the Guardians, Madagascar 3 and the first two Shrek films, but on it's 20th anniversary, it's still a really good film. It's funny, heartwarming, and very likable. This receives a thumbs up from me. :)