The final showdown, in which the critters tangle with security-rigged lawn flamingos and garden gnomes, would have made Rube Goldberg proud.
Over the Hedge (2006)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:33
Fresh:21
Rotten:12
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Even if it's not an animation classic, Over the Hedge is clever and fun, and the jokes cater to family members of all ages.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some rude humor and mild comic action
Runtime: 3 hrs 3 mins 13 secs
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:May 19, 2006 Wide
Box Office: $155,019,340
Synopsis: Just whose backyard is it, anyway? 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... Just whose backyard is it, anyway? 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 even 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. Heading up an all-star voice cast, Bruce Willis (the "Die Hard" franchise, "Sixth Sense") is the voice of the mischievous con-artist raccoon named RJ, and Emmy winner Garry Shandling (TV's "The Larry Sanders Show," "It's Garry Shandling's Show") voices the overprotective turtle named Verne in the computer-animated comedy "Over the Hedge." Rounding out the voice cast of "Over the Hedge" are: Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," TV's "The Office") as a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy; two-time Emmy winner William Shatner (TV's "Boston Legal") as Ozzie, a possum who excels at playing dead with a melodramatic flair; chart-topping recording artist Avril Lavigne as Ozzie's daughter, Heather; Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy (both "A Mighty Wind," "Best in Show"), who are paired as the porcupine couple Penny and Lou, with a brood of little porcupine mouths to feed; comedienne Wanda Sykes as a sassy skunk named Stella; two-time Oscar® nominee Nick Nolte ("Affliction," "The Prince of Tides") as a bear named Vincent; and Omid Djalili ("Casanova") as a spoiled housecat named Tiger. On the human side, four-time Emmy winner Allison Janney (TV's "The West Wing") plays Gladys, the president of the local homeowners' association, who isn't about to see her neighborhood overrun by wildlife; and Oscar® nominee Thomas Haden Church ("Sideways") as "the Verminator," whom Gladys hires to rid the area of our woodland heroes. Based on the popular comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis, "Over the Hedge" is being directed by Tim Johnson ("Antz") and Karey Kirkpatrick ("Chicken Run" screenwriter), making his directorial debut. Bonnie Arnold ("Toy Story," "Tarzan") is producing. --© DreamWorks [More]
Starring: Bruce Willis, Steve Carell, Garry Shandling, William Shatner
Starring: Bruce Willis, Steve Carell, Garry Shandling, William Shatner, Thomas Haden Church
Director: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
Director: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
Screenwriter: Len Blum, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, Karey Kirkpatrick
Composer: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Get This Movie
Rent DVD
Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.
Buy DVD
Reviews for Over the Hedge
Over The Hedge is cute without being cutesy, satirical without being too cynical, and just a whole lot of fun.
A raucous, funny and fresh look at the 3 C's: conservation, consumerism and consumption (of the excessive and conspicuous kind).
Inspired casting of voice actors is one of several pleasures in this fun film for children, which has enough social satire to satisfy adults as well.
The writing doesn't measure up to the casting, and the picture is miles from original.
If they were still making Looney Tunes, they'd look a lot like Over the Hedge.
The computer-animation is terrific, most of the slapstick gags are fun, and Wanda Sykes' voice performance as feisty Stella the Skunk is one that will be remembered -- and not because it stinks.
Its own animal, a spirited and intrepid critter that mooches our affection along with the garbage.
There may be only so many ways you can spin a computer-generated animated feature about a gang of animals and their grand project against an evil adversary.
Ultimately Hedge is déja vu all over again, a computer-generated work of wonder that could have come out last year, last month or two months from now, a film so reminiscent of other films it almost immediately dims in the memory.
Will probably just feel beyond the pale to anyone more discerning than the average 8-year-old.
Over the Hedge may not have you over the moon, but it gets far enough to qualify as decent family entertainment.
Intelligent jokes are set up and paid off, rather than blurred by an endless string of instantly-outdated pop culture references.
A feature cartoon that is not at the level of Finding Nemo or Shrek, but is a lot of fun, awfully nice to look at, and filled with energy and smiles.
The filmmakers are obviously concerned about the rise of exurbs, but they shrug off the issue and stick to the formula of a talking-critters script instead.
No doubt the people at DreamWorks who made Over the Hedge would prefer that their film bring to mind animated classics like Disney's Bambi (or, as Hammy suggests, Ice Age), but no such luck.
The frenetic, action-oriented (and fairly violent) set-pieces are well crafted, but without interesting characters it's only sporadically involving.
Latest News for Over the Hedge
June 07, 2007:
Release Dates Set for "Shrek 4" and "Shrek 5"
Well, release years anyway, according to Jeffrey Katzenberg. More...
May 31, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Knocked Up" Expecting Solid Arrival
Call it the weekend of the actor/producer. Three new films with stars that do double duty behind the scenes (or have good agents that can snag a free credit) enter a marketplace... More...
May 24, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Pirates" Awaits Massive Holiday Treasure
Multiplexes are stocking up on popcorn, soda, and overpriced candy in anticipation of record crowds that could make this Memorial Day holiday frame the biggest weekend in box... More...
May 17, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Mighty "Shrek" Returns To Claim Crown
Attacking theaters on the same May 18 date as the original ogre toon from six years ago, "Shrek the Third" stomps into the marketplace this weekend ready to seize the... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Over the Hedge at Rotten Tomatoes
- Over the Hedge at IGN
- Over the Hedge at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



