A little about Over The Hedge
"These are wicked little guys who’ll pick your pocket as they steal your heart."
– Former ABC "Nightline" host and long-time Over the Hedge fan Ted Koppel
‘So funny!’ shrilled one of the tiny voices. I turned, only to find six rows of toddlers; whose feet could only reach the end of the cushion seats. So, it was a regular Monday afternoon and I was stuck with in a heartland cinema full of parents, teachers and children. My sixth sense (one that is often more accurate than the other five) tells me to start gearing up for a torturous session. However, things were not as bad as I thought them to be. The movie: Over the Hedge did them good; those children were absorbed into a world of some charismatic animals, whose sole purpose in life is to gather food supplies.
RJ (Bruce Willis), a crafty raccoon that survives by thieving food and ransacking the rubbish bins, got himself into deep trouble when the plan to steal Vincent (the bear)’s food failed. In a desperate plea to save himself, RJ promised to return every single item within a week. Then, he chances upon a bunch of hungry animals in the woods and decides to manipulate their innate abilities too. It is no easy feat, especially since he is battling against both the human beings and the leader of the family – Verne the self-confessed ‘tentative’ turtle (Garry Shandling). Ultimately, as he is slowly accepted into the family, RJ had to make a choice between a) a package of food and freedom and b) family.
Apart from falling into the pit of being too predictable, the plot is flawless. Every character has individual traits that injects humor and helps advance the story. Offering the animals’ perception of human beings also endears the movie to its underage audience. These are characters that are genuinely fascinated by screen television screens and yet terrified of moving vehicles. As for the more mature audience however, this also gives a rather satirical view of suburban living. For instance, the ‘human beings’ seem to have never-ending food supplies, which are either gone to waste or metamorphosed into fat compounds in the body. Despite all the positives in its script, it is fair to say that the movie will not enjoy the same success without its great voice-acting cast. This is especially so in the case of RJ (Bruce Willis), Verne (Garry Shandling), Ozzie (William Shatner) and Hammy (Steve Carell). With their superb vocals, they have managed to make the characters credible.
Like all good movies, Over the Hedge conveys some meaningful messages: Greed doesn’t pay.
Twice, RJ ruined the great plan because he is never satisfied with what he had gotten. With all that he needs in the bag and everything at stake, he came back for the packet or bottle of his favorite chips and screwed it all up. The first time, he was caught red-handed by Vincent. The second, he got away but landed his compatriots in deep trouble.
The second message of this film is: A family is all you need.
So what if you have all the luxuries in the world? Would you rather be RJ, who feels contented in the warmth of his new family or Vincent, who has no one to share all his food with?
Finally, the last message of the film is: Learn to compromise and cope with changes; you’ll be surprised with the results.
First, having lost half of their habitat to the suburbs, the animals had to adapt. Thanks to RJ, they have learnt new methods to source out food. Moreover, Verne could not accept RJ’s unethical methods of gathering food. He is rigid, highly skeptical and suspicious of him. As time goes by, he realizes that what RJ did may be the best thing for his family. So, he learnt to trust, and eventually became good friends with RJ.
Now, who says animations are only cartoons meant for children? Tainted by the realistic and uncaring world, perhaps adults need to be reminded of these simple moral values. Honestly, how many RJs can you spot among them?
Written by: Kee Ya Ting
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