Movie Review: Over the Hedge

You know, it has been a long time since I published anything on this blog. Seriously, it's not that I've not wanted to write; oh you have no idea how much I've wanted to write--but situations being what they are, life gave me a hand this past school year. Not only a hand, but one, very strong, finger. How did it happen after being a teacher for 13.5 years and a writer all my life did both things go to pot so quickly? Luck, perhaps. Situational ethics, maybe.

Whatever the situation, movies and weekend escapes of that sort took on a new meaning this school year. Now they weren't merely 'diversions.' Now they carried a weight to them, a weight that made mistakes appear more profound; a consequence that made successes even more joyous. I was cursed with very few 'awake' hours with my significant other. So those few hours became precious. When I went to the movies; I WENT TO THE MOVIES.

The school year had ended and, quite thankfully, so has my partner's vicious employment. So when the summer films opened, I could see the light of relief just out-of-touch, if only I could reach it...

It was from this standpoint that I attended my first summer movie, Over the Hedge. You don't have to read all of my previous reviews to know my feelings of animations and why I selected this title to celebrate with. I, for one, detest TomKatt and secondly, Disney and offhandedly, animation--is where I met my partner. So cartoons, if you will, are something I needed to survive. And since I was going to have hold onto until the dog days of summer arrived, this picture won the cointoss.

Not that it gave me much to hold onto. Disney may have perfected the art of animation, but others, most likely animators who once worked for Disney, have caught on. Adults like animation as much as the tykes, if it's done well. Since cartoons can be created with a computer at home, that means that something of substance has to be up there on the screen.

A story. Not just any story--a story that is universal enough that both children and adults can enjoy it, but specific enough that every single audience member feels like it is a personal experience. Look at Shrek for an example. Those jabs at the Disney Parks? Classic and something none of the youngsters could understand, but every adult could. Wallace and Gromit? No child in England or America is going to get horror movie stereotypes--

--oh wait, considering how many kids are permitted to see R movies, I should probably take that back.

It's with this tidbit that Over the Hedge misses the boat. Without the political commentary, it becomes a standard kid movie. That's alright, I suppose, but even then, the tales misses some really good opportunities to let the movie fly. The story is about Raccoon, voiced by Bruce Willis, who finds he is in debt to a very large bear, voiced by Nick Nolte, for gallons of food. Nature being what it is, food is scarce--so the Raccoon, working on a timetable, tricks the local fauna into action. They are a bit dimwitted, it seems, since their interactions have only been with each other. They are taken for a con job and collect food for the Raccoon and the bear.

As directly as I tell you here, that is the long and the short of it. It was mildly entertaining, but there was zero risks involved. They have a great list of voice over work--but not once is the cork pulled out for these performers. Don Bluth (An American Tail, Titan A.E.) learned from Disney some time ago that you have to let actors act...and from there, develop your storyboards and animation. You can see it up there on the screen, for each character is given a vivacity you can feel.

But the filmmakers here, it felt like, told the performers to stick to the script. There are zero zingers; nothing feels alive in the movie. Since there is nothing to connect to--the characters become mere computer creations. I didn't find them cute, cuddly or want them to succeed. I kept thinking I was watching a Warner Bros. short. Fun--but not really deep.

So, I suppose, I'm glad it was short. The kids will like it, I'm sure, but I'm sad it was the first 'big movie' I had to see this summer. For if this is what they plan on opening with--I wonder what the rest of the summer is going to be like.

Yeah, I might be putting to much weight on this, like I started this work with--but seriously, I have seen many movies carry that weight without burden. And yes, it IS a good movie, that was somewhat evident. But I might recommend renting a video instead for now.