Funny and original - a nice change for Dreamworks

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 2006)

Over that past few years, Dreamworks has given us surprises as well as disappointments. 'Shrek', though hilarious, is basically the 'Scary Movie' of animation, making fun of everything that is hip at the very moment. 'Shark Tale' was just simply wrong and 'Madagascar', well, it just didn't work for me. But 'Over The Hedge' does something, that previous Dreamworks features didn't do. It works with characters a little bit. This time, they really stopped, and thought about the voices. Instead of picking random stars for completely inappropriate characters, the creators of 'Over The Hedge' found actors that perfectly match their animated characters.
There's a little something for everyone in 'Over The Hedge'. There's originality, there's some really sharp humor, slick animation and what is very crucial, it has heart. 'Over The Hedge' is a film not just for the kids, but for their parents too, everyone will have a laugh and no one will be disappointed (hopefully, at least).
Overall, it's a fun adventure and a step forward for Dreamworks Animation.
8/10