Not DreamWorks' best, but still fun

Rating: 7/10 (22 August 2018)

When thinking of DreamWorks, one often thinks of their more classic movies, such as Shrek, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda - all of which have spawned successful franchises (with the Madagascar films getting better and better with quality and the third How to Train Your Dragon film coming out in 2019). However, some of their other films get lost in the kerfuffle and, unfortunately, this is one of them.
However, it is nowhere near their worst movie. In all actuality, it is kind of fun. The main character is RJ, a raccoon voiced hilariously by Bruce Willis. He's got one week to fulfill a bears request: have the food that he destroyed back in a week or else he is on the menu. He finds a group of forest friends led by Verne, a tortoise voiced by Garry Shandling, and he realizes that they could help him get the food from the suburbs that live just...well...over the hedge. However, they catch the eye of a determined woman who then calls an exterminator to help deal with the so-called pest problem.
There are a lot of hilarious moments, particularly from Steve Carrell's performance as Hammy, an energetic squirrel who you should not give any caffeine or sugar to. While Bruce Willis is mostly known for being an action star, a lot of people forget that he won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for his role in Moonlighting, so needless to say, he actually does have a background in comedy and is able to bring it to light. Garry Shandling plays the part of the straight man - or should I say, tortoise - who doesn't want anything to do with the hedge.
The problem with this movie is that, in spite of all its funny moments and star-studded cast, it just isn't as memorable or in the top quality that other DreamWorks animation films are in. The story isn't as good, and the characters aren't as memorable as Shrek, Po, Toothless, or any of the characters from Madagascar.
So, while it isn't their best film, I still recommend this film, as it is a lot of fun for the whole family. See it, enjoy it, and hopefully you'll remember it tomorrow.