Review: Over The Hedge

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis …. RJ (voice)
Garry Shandling …. Verne (voice)
Steve Carell …. Hammy (voice)
Wanda Sykes …. Stella (voice)
William Shatner …. Ozzie (voice)
Nick Nolte …. Vincent (voice)
Thomas Haden Church …. Dwayne (voice)
Allison Janney …. Gladys (voice)
Eugene Levy …. Lou (voice)
Catherine O’Hara …. Penny (voice)
Avril Lavigne …. Heather (voice)
Omid Djalili …. Tiger (voice)
Sami Kirkpatrick …. Bucky (voice)

Review Grade: A

I know, it’s been a while since I threw a review up here.

So here goes.

After deciding not to see The Da Vinci Code I decided to go see Over The Hedge.

“Over The Hedge” finds it’s roots in the Funny pages, where there is indeed a Racoon, Turtle and host of other creatures. Thankfully, unlike Garfield (or the Garfield II trailer I was forced to site through), this film is funny and enjoyable.

We start off meeting up with RJ, a racoon voiced by Bruce Willis, who after making a very bad decision has to go foraging for food.

By chance he happens apon a group of animals who have awakened from hibernation to find their forest replaced by suburbia. You can tell a lot of thought went into the voice talent of this film. Steve Catrell steals the show as Hammy a very overactive squirrel. Just as enjoyable is watching Ozzie the possum (William Shatner) die in many melodramatic ways. I mean really, who can die better than Captian Kirk?

The film starts off fast, with a short lag in the middle, but picks up steam and finishes with a hilarious save by Hammy. I believe the difference between this and other Dreamwork animation (Shrek, Shrek II, etc) is that the writers were having a good time, and let the comedy flow. Acompanying the writing is a rather snazzy soundtrack with a number of songs by Ben Folds. Gags, innuendo, and recurring jokes (Hint: Mushroom Clouds) made this film very enjoyable.

I’d even go see it again, and maybe get the DVD.