Over The Hedge

Having bought a whole bunch of animated flicks for my nephew when I see him at the end of this month in Mumbai, the child in me was tempted enough to watch one of them last night.

Over The Hedge, the latest CGI animation from Dream Works , is delightful from the get go.

Plot: A group of animals fresh off hibernation are about to begin storing food for the upcoming winter ( a mere 274 days away) when they discover, to their shock that much of their beloved woodland has been demolished for a 54-acre housing estate that is separated from the jungle by the titular hedge. Verne, the cautious turtle and leader of the animals is quickly upstaged by the appearance of a wily raccoon RJ who sweet-talks the group into going over the hedge into suburbia where food is a-plenty. Verne is, understandably, tail-tinglingly suspicious of the new member. And for good reason as RJ has a hidden agenda.....

While Pixar still reigns supreme in this field, for me the added bonus of a Dream Works offering is their use of high profile stars to give voice to the numerous animal cast. So Bruce Willis' smarmy tones fleshes out RJ the raccoon's street-smart coolness while comedian Garry Shandling is perfect as the straight arrow Verne. Look out also for a hilarious William Shatner as a possum, Nick Nolte as mean bear Vincent and last but definitely not least, a scene stealing Thomas Haden Church as the Verminator, Animal exterminator extrodinaire. And let's not forget the always dependable Steve Carel as IQ challenged squirrel Hammy.Although after a similarly moronic turn in Will Ferrel's Anchorman, playing a moronic dim wit is something the 40-Year Old Virgin could do in his sleep. And there's a Persian Cat voiced by an actor whose name I can't recall who'll crack you up! He's that good!!

There's the usual story-with-a-moral wrap up that is endemic to these films( they are made primarily for kids of course) but with enough in-jokes for the adults, a bristling pace and gorgeous animation, chalk this up as a winner for Dream Works after the less than satisfying Madagascar.