Who'd have thought that an animated family film could also be a well-crafted social satire? "Over the Hedge" is much more than a kid's movie: it's a story that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional child-friendly works by presenting a humorous yet honest analysis of American consumerism. Because of that, it's one of the most refreshing cinematic experiences I've had in a while. Finally, we get to see the American dream from a different viewpoint--in this case, the viewpoint of woodland animals. I found that this enabled me to examine just how we define success as human beings. The animals see that humans define success by gathering food. Lots of food. Enough food to keep their bellies full for the next decade and a half. Yet they keep getting more of it, something that RJ, a streetwise raccoon (Bruce Willis), doesn't find surprising at all. As he points out, "For them, enough is never enough!"

We have to thank Michael Fry and T. Lewis for creating the original comic strip. The transition from newspaper to screen did not deter from the personality types of the characters; if anything, they're more complex. In a strange sort of way, RJ has the appeal of the charming Mysterious Stranger. He's smooth talking and persuasive, and he has the advantage of knowing a thing or two about how the outside world works. At the same time, he's self serving and deceitful, qualities brought on out of sheer desperation. The opening scenes show him trying to steal a stash of junk food from the cave of the hibernating Vincent (Nick Nolte), a hardened grizzly bear. He catches RJ in the act, a tense moment resulting in the loss of everything Vincent had horded. He then gives RJ an ultimatum: either he returns every bit of food in one week's time (the start of spring), or he gets himself killed. As a way of showing who's really in control, Vincent also demands some non edible items, including a wagon and a blue colored cooler (for him, no other color will do).

Immediately after this is established, a group of animals awaken after the winter hibernation. It's led by Verne (Gary Shandling), a turtle who has the ability to remove his shell at will and can count the number of days before the winter season. The other members are: the Fargo-esque porcupine family of Lou (Eugene Levy), Penny (Catherine O'Hara), Bucky (Sami Kirkpatrick), Spike (Shane Baumel), and Quillo (Madison Davenport); the sass-talking skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes); the hyperactive squirrel Hammy (Steve Carell); and the overacting possum family of Ozzie (William Shatner) and Heather (Avril Lavigne). Upon awakening, they find that their food supply has dwindled down to almost nothing. This means that it's time to start looking for more in preparation for the next winter.

But there's a problem: a gigantic hedge has mysteriously appeared, blocking access to everything they need. Verne volunteers to take a peek at the other side. What he finds doesn't do much to bolster his confidence; it's a mass of concrete, wood, and metal called the backyard of a house. Apparently, a big residential company had built an entire neighborhood on an area that was once wild forestland. It's headed by Gladys (Allison Janney), the uptight, overly business oriented president of a homeowners association. All she let remain for the animals was a few acres of natural sanctuary. Separating them from civilization is the neatly trimmed hedge (which, interestingly, the animals call Steve).

This is when RJ pops up, and he immediately sees a way out of his predicament: he'll convince them to gather Vincent's new stash by pretending to help them with their problem. It's not an easy sell at first, especially for Verne; he claims that his tail is tingling, which indicates that he senses trouble. But when RJ opens a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips for them, the seduction is too much to resist. They simply have to have more of that kind of food, the stuff that tastes better than the berries, bark, nuts, and leaves they've been eating their whole lives. Being the leader, Verne remains skeptical of the idea, claiming that RJ doesn't have their best interests at heart. The others dismiss Verne's resistance as jealousy. Eventually, he begins to think that they might be right.

Leading the other animals into the suburbs, RJ regales the group with his perceptions of human behavior. This is the point at which the majority of the film's satire makes itself known, and while it's all presented tongue-in-cheek, the reality behind it is undeniable (and if you think about it, somewhat disturbing). They first walk past an SUV, something so big that it prompts Ozzie to ask just how many people it can hold. RJ replies, "Usually one." He then examines how a human's life perpetually revolves around food: a dining room table is the alter where they worship food; the phone is the instrument used to bring food to them; the car is a method of delivering food; an antacid tablet in water is an elixir for the discomfort of eating too much food; and most importantly, a garbage can is where all the unwanted food is collected, leaving it all at an animal's disposal.

With all this in mind, the group begins collecting everything on RJ's list. They go through many comedic misadventures along the way, including some encounters with Dwayne (Thomas Haden Church), an exterminator hired by Gladys to keep her neighborhood free from vermin. He's so foolishly serious about his job he occasionally mistakes a plastic lawn flamingo for the real thing. Some of these kinds of moments are a little over the top, such as when RJ and Verne joyride on a runaway wagon filled with boxes of junk food. They're being chased by an overly friendly dog (who says nothing more than "Play, play, play!") and eventually, they latch onto a propane tank. Yes, the end result was funny, but it also felt contrived; it just didn't quite mesh with the satirical tone of the story.

Then again, this is an animated family film, and I guess that requires some moments of comedy relief. And in most cases, it worked beautifully. Case in point: Hammy. This character practically steals the movie; he's so edgy and energetic that you just can't help cracking up when watching him. He doesn't walk from one place to another so much as he zooms, as if he were Sonic the Hedgehog on speed. He immediately takes a liking to RJ, at one point asking him, "You want to help me find my nuts?" RJ reciprocates Hammy's affection, but there's only so much of his hyperactivity he can take; there is, after all, a reason why he refuses to let Hammy have even the tiniest sip of soda. However, that was said under calm circumstances. The moment eventually comes when an extra jolt in his system is needed, a moment when the other animals face the possibility of death. The scene showing Hammy's reaction to caffeine is absolutely priceless, not only because of the humor, but because of the clever pacing, as well.

There are plenty of other gags in "Over the Hedge" that will keep kids giggling, and rest assured, all of them are enjoyable. However, the adult in me found the biting commentaries much more impressive. I also found the underlying theme of belonging and togetherness to be appropriate; the animals grow closer as the film progresses, even in the midst of Verne's stubbornness and RJ's lying. He does feel guilty about his false sincerity, and he knows that if he wants to settle down and make friends, he needs to finally come clean. This sense of humanity balanced perfectly with the story's cynical edge, and the end result is a film that both children and adults will find very entertaining. It's a great example of how family films ought to be made. Hopefully, there will be more of them in the future.

- Chris Pandolfi

More Recent Reviews:

Chronicle (2012)

Innkeepers, The (2012)

Kill List (2012)

Woman in Black, The (2012)

Man on a Ledge (2012)

 

  Recommendations: