If you go down to the woods today, you’ll find Madagascar relocated under the oak trees. By now, we have an idea what to expect from Dreamworks animation unit. Since Shrek, they’ve successfully packaged digital chicanery with snarky humour, disposable pop culture references and starry intertextual vocal talents. Here, reprising much of the moral weariness displayed in 16 Blocks, Bruce Willis lends his larynx to a scheming raccoon. Rather unwisely, he attempts to make off with a food stash belonging to a mean old bear (Nick Nolte, reprising pretty much everything he’s ever done). Given a week to replace the goods or get eaten, our cunning procyonid recruits a naïve commune of woodland animals – led by Gary Shandling’s conservative turtle – to conduct raids on the neighbouring suburbs. Having introduced these stooges to the joys of donuts and tacos, there’s no stopping them. Unhappily though, the humans start fighting back with bunny-frying technology and an exterminator (Thomas Hayden Church).
As animals-in-jeopardy movies go, Over The Hedge is significantly more entertaining than either Madagascar or The Wild, boasting a smart, stinging screenplay, despite a finger-wagging moral about junk food. Trek fans will be pleased to learn that William Shatner’s opossum has multiple death scenes. A jittery Steve Carrell is equally impressive as a hyperactive squirrel that bends the space-time continuum when introduced to caffeine.
Suffice to say it’s no Bambi, but it’s no slouch either.