A great fun kids movie

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2006)

Dreamworks what can be said about them it's a hit and miss field with them. First they release Shrek a fun and goofy movie. Then comes antz not so good, then comes Shrek 2 a fun filled even goofier film. Then Dreamworks hit's it's slump Shark Tale and Madagascar too me are two of the worst animated films in the last decade, but hey it's only my opinion. Then comes Over the Hedge a fun exciting and quite funny film based on the very popular comic strip.
The story if you don't know star's RJ a raccoon with extremely large appetite and devious nature. When RJ tries to steal food from a bear and causes the food to roll down hill and get hit by a car, he is given a week to return all the food. RJ travels to Suburbia where he meet's up with a group of wilderness animals who have just gotten out of hibernation. RJ convinces the group to take the food from suburbia and shows them that there is many a delectable item's that we as humans take for granted. What the group of animals don't know is that the RJ is just using the group for his own benefit to retrieve the lost items.
What makes this movie so good is that you feel for these characters, you feel that you could be one of them. They act sort of like humans who are just there to survive and rest in peace. They also have the uniqueness that almost compares them to the likes of a cast of characters that you would see in any Pixar movie. What this movie has also got going for it is just that it's so funny. The jokes are so clever that you laugh even when you think that you should not be laughing due to it being a kid's movie. It's also got lovable characters like the hype Hammey the squirrel who is voiced by the extremely funny Steve Carrell. This is also a movie of great character actors, You have everyone from Bruce Willis to William Shatner to Wanda Sykes to Even Nick Nolte, and every part they play is played to perfection.
Another great thing about this movie is just looks visually stunning, I mean everything looks so life like, and suburbia looks like well suburbia many rows of houses and small lawns. Plus the neighbors are just like a suburbia neighbor should be. Also there is some really funny moments with the Verminator vs. the Animals. I think Dreamworks has officially outdone themselves in the visual department I can finally compare this movie to the likes of something like Finding nemo. I still think it will be a while till they get to Cars visual's but even with Shark tale and Madagascar event though they were not great films they looked and felt life like.
In closing I give Over the Hedge a 9 out of 10 for being a smart fun and entertaining film that has it all and handles it with a smart attitude that I will defiantly say put's them into the league of Pixar.