This film met my expectations... but they were very high to begin with.

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2006)

I liked Over the Hedge, but I was expecting a lot so it did not come as a surprise... I read the numerous positive reviews on IMDb from people who saw screenings and saw its critical praise as well. I knew it would be good, and it was.
A lot of people may be skeptical to see yet another "talking animal" adventure, but this is probably the best animated film since The Incredibles, and the funniest since Shrek. There has been a dangerous increase in the number of CGI films in the past year or so, banking off the "instant success formula" of films such as Shrek 2. The creators of these cartoons assume that kids will watch any movie as long as it contains bright color, happy talking animals, and a tie-in with a fast food company. However, this is no longer the case. Flops such as Doogal and The Wild have shown that people (even families desperate for a movie night) have discretion and will avoid poor fare such as Doogal.
Look at the facts here. In its opening night, Over The Hedge made more than Doogal did in its entire run in the theaters, and after two weeks will have easily surpassed Hoodwinked.
The movie itself was good, and the characters were believable and reminded me of real people even though they had a lot of shtick in their antics. Hammy is adorable and sadly is like me... we both love cookies and hate having them taken from us.
No longer is CGI amazing, at least not to my generation, it's something we have grown up with for more than ten years now. Hopefully companies will soon realize that CGI films can no longer rely on "amazing" animation and skimp on the plot... we need more Over the Hedges and Shreks and less Hoodwinks and Doogals.