Synopsis

Spring has sprung, and Verne and his woodland friends awaken from their long winter's nap to discover that a tall, green 'thing' has mysteriously cropped up right through the middle of their home. Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon, who explains that the world beyond the hedge is the "gateway to the good life" where peculiar creatures called humans live to eat, rather than eat to live. Suspicious and 'a little jealous of RJ, the ever-cautious Verne wants to keep his blended family safely on their side of the hedge. But, proving the adage that one man's garbage is another man's, or rather animal's treasure, the manipulative RJ tries to convince the woodland band that there is little to fear and everything to gain from their over-indulgent new neighbors. Eventually, RJ and Verne form an unlikely friendship as they learn to co-exist with and even exploit this strange new world called suburbia.

What The Critics Say

"A irresistible balance of computer-graphics animation and high wit, one that raises the three-dimensional computerized technique to a delirious new plateau." Jan Stuart NEWSDAY "Over The Hedge is cute without being cutesy, satirical without being too cynical, and just a whole lot of fun." Richard Roeper EBERT & ROEPER "Visually energetic and light on its feet, it's frothy entertainment that has some ideas in its head and a sense of playfulness that turns those ideas into a speedily pleasant 90 minutes." Chris Vognar DALLAS MORNING NEWS "A charming, clever and crisply paced little confection about small, junk-food-addled mammals that's sure to delight large mammals of any age." Ted Fry SEATTLE TIMES ".. more than enough comic action sequences to fill the movie's 84 minutes. The final caper mimics and rivals the "Mission: Impossible" films' derring-do to hilarious results. Character animators beautifully marry their creatures to the voice actors' individual eccentricities. Especially noteworthy are Wanda Sykes' slinky skunk, Carell's hyperactive Hammy, Omid Djalili's Persian housecat, Shandling's thoughtful tortoise and Willis' conniving raccoon with a touch of wistful loneliness coming through his bandit exterior." Kirk Honeycutt LOS ANGELES HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"The latest from Dreamworks Animation, which is based on a comic-strip, is a funny and entertaining family film which embraces serious themes - the threat to the environment and the consumption of junk food - but is mainly intent on making us laugh. The characters are a likeable bunch ... there's an excellent voice cast. The animation is excellent, and there are some lovely jokes for the film literate grown-ups in the audience with references to both Orson Welles and Marlon Brando. 3 1/2 STARS" David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "There are fewer references to pop culture and less jokes aimed directly at adult chaperones than Shrek, but there's a naive, fable-like quality to Over The Hedge that should ensure its universal appeal. Willis and Shandling are well cast as the animal kingdom's version of the odd couple, but it's Carell's Ritalin-deprived squirrel who steals this particular show. Cute and contemporary. 4 stars" Vicki Roach DAILY TELEGRAPH "From its opening sequence, involving a vending machine, Over the Hedge has grip and pace. The animation will tickle you. Though not as ambitious as some Pixar creations, the film pops with colour and renders for its audience a world that is full and inventive. The characters are individual and burst forth with their own idiosyncrasies, no mean feat for a movie featuring half of Hollywood amongst its voice cast." Joel Meares OPTUS MOVIE REVIEWS "There are some worthy messages underlining "Over the Hedge" about the encroachment of urban sprawl on natural habitats and the displacement of wildlife, the evils of overeating and junk food and the importance of being loyal to friends and family. Of course, the young audience that this movie is aimed at won’t notice any of this and will be hugely entertained by the colour, fast action and explosions." Albert Koomen ABC NT REVIEWS "There’s enough going on here to entertain everyone – the voice cast, which also includes Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Thomas Haden Church, Avril Lavinge and William Shatner, do a good job, and the characters are rather cute." Clint Morris WEBWOMBAT

The Inside Story I suppose it is inevitable that when it comes to "Over The Hedge" comparisons will be made with "Madagascar" and "Shrek" if only because all the advertising for "Over The Hedge" makes it glaringly obvious that it is from the creators of "Madagascar" and "Shrek". It's not an observation I am going to bore you to death with because the simple fact is the only thing these three films have in common is that they are animated features which also happen to feature animals. Bugga! I've already made a comparison. Of course, if I really did want to make a comparison, it wouldn't be with either "Madagascar" or "Shrek". It would with the animated feature, "Garfield: The Movie". I can see that's got you thinking. Why would he mention "Garfield"? What's he up to? Well actually I'm trying hard not to be tiresomely familiar with my review. I'm just looking for a lead-in, a leg-up as they say in the trade, and "Garfield The Movie" (which is about to have a sequel released called, "Garfield: A Tale Of Two Kitties") provides that opportunity because there is something these two animated features have in common. Both "Garfield The Movie" and "Over The Hedge" were derived from syndicated comic strips. Davis, born in Marion, Indiana USA, raised on the farm of his parents James and Betty Davis along with his younger brother Dave [nicknamed 'Doc'] and a bunch of cats, created the world's favourite cat (Garfield) whom he named after his grandfather. "Garfield" made his debut in 41 US newspapers on June 19th 1978. Written by Michael Fry and illustrated by T Lewis, the strip "Over The Hedge" made its debut in June 1995 and has since shared daily doses of the animals’ wry and often pointed observations about human foibles and fallacies. For more than 10 years, that has been the view of a pair of unlikely best friends (a raccoon and a turtle) as they have peered into the manufactured and manicured world of suburbia in the popular comic strip. Debut director and screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick notes, "The comic strip is about a turtle and a raccoon who peer over a hedge to observe human society and then lampoon it with razor-sharp wit. It’s brilliant observational humor told from an animal’s unique point of view." Director Tim Johnson remarks, "The comic strip is an inspired funhouse-mirror reflection of what we are as suburbanites, as humanity. It’s from the perspective of the animals that glimpse us through our own backyards and comment on the strangest animals on the face of the Earth, human beings." "It’s a great setting because anyone who has a backyard has had some experience with wildlife," Michael Fry states. T Lewis offers, "That was certainly my situation. I lived out in the suburbs and would often see squirrels and rabbits in the yard and raccoons scratching at the windows, looking for food." Johnson also remembers the effect urban sprawl had on the area he lived in when he was growing up and says it gave him an affinity that led to him becoming a fan of the comic strip. "I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and, at the time I started first grade, from the end of my street there were miles and miles of cornfields as far as the eye could see," he recalls. "By the time I graduated high school, those cornfields had been replaced by a housing development, and one past that, and one past that, and another past that. So I went from living on the edge of suburban sprawl to living in the middle of it within a span of 10 years. We didn’t exactly have a hedge, but we did have a bunch of small trees, and in back of that was a field full of possums and raccoons and skunks. So for me, "Over the Hedge" was a chance to dabble in the very world I grew up in, while swapping places with the animals to see the world from their point of view." His co-director Kirkpatrick, who co-wrote the screenplay with Len Blum and Lorne Cameron & David Hoselton saw the film as an "ideal arena in which to set an animated film. We were able to take characters who are very cute and lovable for the kids and allow them to offer a satirical commentary on society within the context of the story." It's a story we all by now, know too well. A suburb springs up and next minute the humans want the animal population out. That's a strong message in the film. "Really, it is we who are in the animals backyard; they are not in ours," says producer Bonnie Arnold. "The comic strip and now the movie are about how suburban sprawl impacts the animals lives and how they have to adjust to survive in this new environment." The Lovable Rascally Critters Leading the pack of critters is a conniving little racoon named RJ. "We call him our raconteur raccoon. He’s a sly character with his own agenda, who’s used to living life on his own and who has never experienced anything like the home and family that Verne and his friends have," says Johnson. " We compare RJ to Harold Hill in "The Music Man". A sort of sly con man who comes in and talks a good game, but never quite warns the animals of the perils he’s leading them into." The voice for RJ is provived by Bruce Willis. "RJ needed to be a charming rascal. Bruce has this roguish side to his personality, but he always has this kind of half smile that gives you the sense he’s playing a little bit of a game with you while letting you in on the joke," says Kirkpatrick. "“It was fun to get into the RJ mode. He is a devil-may-care raccoon, the David Addison of the animal kingdom," says the star of the television series "Moonlighting." "Over the years, RJ has accumulated all these human items that he carries in a golf bag—his own bag of tricks. It’s all very clever, but the most appealing aspect of the character for me is when he shows his vulnerability. He is really a lonely little raccoon, who runs into this family of animals and finds he wants to be part of them." RJ uses his hustling skills to con a group of woodland critters who are led by a turtle named Verne. Verne is voiced by Garry Shandling. "Verne is a very practical, cautious turtle, and Garry did a marvelous job of capturing his warmth and family affection, as well as his fear of change and anything new," Johnson says. "Verne is consumed with protecting his family from this fast-talking fellow, RJ, who just comes in and takes over. Verne has learned to trust his instincts because he is the oldest and wisest of the group. The turtle has been around for millions of years as a species, and they live a long time," Shandling notes. "I figured Verne to be about 120 years old, but, if I may say, he looks maybe 70, 75 at most. Without makeup of course. The most trusting critter in the group is Hammy, a hyperactive squirrel who seems to move at the speed of light. Hammy is voiced by Golden Globe Award winner Steve Carell. "Hammy is tremendously loyal to his friends; he is very kind and very loving. It’s going to make me cry just thinking about him because he is the sweetest thing. However, he also has a very short attention span," Carell said. "He will see things and immediately attach himself to that thing, be it food or be it a friend. He is totally fascinated by life, and I think that is one of his best attributes." Of course it wouldn't be a real critter film if it didn't have a skunk in the woods. "Over The Hedge" has a skunk "with attitude," according to Kirkpatrick. "What do you think of when you hear the word 'skunk'? You think of an animal that stinks. So we thought, if that is the baggage you carry around all your life, it is bound to shape your personality a little bit. You’re bound to be a tad defensive." "Stella has every right to be grouchy and to have an edge to her. Who wouldn’t if you just stunk all the time? Stella is great; she gets it'" says comedian Wanda Sykes who voices the animated character. "She's like, These are the cards I’ve been dealt. I’m a skunk. People see me and run away. This is my life. It stinks, but I know it stinks and I’m going to deal with it, but not necessarily on a positive note." But here's a twist. In "Over The Hedge" Stella falls for a spoiled purebred Persian house cat by the name of Prince Tigerius Mahmoud Shabazz, or Tiger for short. "I got a call from my agents saying the people at DreamWorks had seen my work and wanted to meet me for this role," comedian Omid Djalili recalls. "They said the character is Persian, so why not have a real Persian play it? I couldn’t say no." But a skunk and a purebreed? "Tiger is a ridiculously pompous Persian cat who thinks Stella is a down and dirty street cat, but they seem to have chemistry anyway," Djalili offers. " Basically, Tiger falls in love with a skunk, but he doesn’t care because he can’t smell anyway." Bonnie Arnold notes, "We were really excited about him for the role of Tiger and flew him over from London to meet with us about the project. His voice added a different texture to the character, and he was so much fun to work with, too." Veteran actor William Shatner is the voice of a very melodramatic possum named Ozzie. "As a longtime fan of William Shatner, it was a real honor to direct him," says Johnson. "You will never work with a more energetic, dedicated performer than Bill. The man's comic timing is consummate. You never have to explain the setup of a joke to Bill; he reads the scene, gets it and will give you 15 different variations on a line, and every one is flawless." Shatner puts that down to his radio work. "I’ve had a lot of radio experience, and doing animation is almost like radio because the only way to reach the audience is through the coloration of your voice," says Shatner. "You’re in a room taking cues from the director about the context of the line, What’s the situation? What’s the energy? What’s the tempo? There’s also room for improvisation, so it’s great fun." That is one thing "Over The Hedge" guarantees, a lot of fun but with, as Willis says, a message. "The film makes a strong point about over-consumption, and holds a mirror up to human behavior and society in general in a way that I think everybody is going to find funny." The Verdict "Oh sure it isn't as big as "Finding Nemo" or Shrek" but don't let that hold you back from having a real good time. "Over The Hedge" boast a voice cast matched to characters that is, in plain old dumbed down terms, superb. "Over The Hedge" has everything going for it. From its colorful cute critter characters, its colourful animation and a colorful story that sends some strong messages this is generous goodhearted fun that all the family, no matter what age they might be, will get a real kick out of. 3 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "OVER THE HEDGE" stars THE VOICES OF.......
Bruce Willis ["Bandits", "Sin City", "Lucky Number Slevin" and "16 Blocks"]; Wanda Sykes ["Tomorrow Night", "Monster-in-Law" and "My Super Ex-Girlfriend"]; William Shatner ["Miss Congeniality", "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous"]; Thomas Haden Church ["3000 Miles to Graceland", "Sideways" and "Spanglish"]; Nick Nolte ["The Golden Bowl", "The Good Thief" and "Hotel Rwanda"]; Alison Janney ["American Beauty", "Nurse Betty", "The Hours" and "Strangers with Candy"] and Eugene Levy ["Best In Show", "A Mighty Wind", "American Pie 3" and "Cheaper by the Dozen 2"] as Lou.
"OVER THE HEDGE" was .......
directed by Tim Johnson ["Antz" and "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas"] and Karey Kirkpatrick [wrote screenplays for "James and the Giant Peach", "Chicken Run" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"]; production design by Kathy Altieri ["Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"]; characters created by Michael Fry ["Over the Hedge"] and T Lewis ["Over the Hedge"]; original music by Rupert Gregson-Williams ["Plots with a View", "The Night We Called It A Day", "Hotel Rwanda" and "Click"] costume design by Jane Poole [animator on "The Prince of Egypt" and "The Road to El Dorado"] and produced by Bonnie Arnold ["Toy Story" and "Tarzan"]. Run Time 84 minutes Rated G [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Dreamworks/UIP - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved