Agree with the common sense take - I watched it with a 4- and 6-year old. The 6-year old enjoyed it, the 4-year old found it too scary, and we had to stop it about 1/2 way through. My wife and I enjoyed the messages that were coming through ("for humans, enough food is never enough!"), but it's just too intense for the younger crowd.
Over the Hedge
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Cute animated tale of animals invading the 'burbs.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 5 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Over the Hedge was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Parents need to know that this animated movie includes a fair amount of cartoon violence. Characters are crushed, blown up, flattened, banged, burned, and bounced -- all in good, Chuck-Jones-influenced fun. Animal protagonists steal food from each other and from unsympathetic humans. When a raccoon steals a bear's winter stash of food, the bear threatens retaliation and the raccoon fools other "foragers" into stealing food from humans to repay the bear and save himself. A human exterminator brings traps and brutal gizmos (his truck is adorned by a man slamming a bunny with a hammer). This exterminator suffers physical abuses (zapped by his own traps). Younger kids will laugh at the obvious stuff and won't get the edgier humor aimed at older audiences, so this is one that several age groups can enjoy together.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the film's satire of life in the suburbs. They could also talk about the lesson RJ and his friends learn: that supporting each other as a family is more important than their individual desires. They could also use the film and its soundtrack to talk to kids about the greater impact of our actions.
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Over the Hedge
What’s the Story?
This animated animal adventure gets rolling when RJ the raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) steals a little red wagon full of treats from a hibernating bear, Vincent (Nick Nolte). Awakened and annoyed, the bear threatens to kill RJ unless he replaces all the missing items (they're smooshed in a traffic accident). RJ hatches a plan to steal convenience foods from recently installed suburban dwellers. While Hammy the squirrel (Steve Carell), shy skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes), and Ozzie, a possum (William Shatner), are easily won over by RJ's scheme, timid tortoise Verne (Garry Shandling) frets that RJ is not to be trusted. But the raccoon is shrewd, and the scenario he lays out -- all food, all the time -- is mighty tempting. So it's not long before everyone scampering into the well-appointed abode of Homeowners' Association President Gladys (Allison Janney). In this new world, "the grass is greener," and the acorn-munching kids discover the great tastes they've been missing: cheese dust, pizza, donuts, and Girl Scout cookies. The animals are not prepared for the humans' ferocious desire to protect their stuff, however, and soon the dastardly exterminator (Thomas Haden Church) arrives, armed with traps and weapons.
Is It Any Good?
Cute and zippy, OVER THE HEDGE offers animal shenanigans, an amusing social critique, songs by Ben Folds, and cartoony explosions galore. It's good fun for everyone!
Plainly inspired by the brilliant Chuck Jones, the movie gets in easy digs at the burbs, a nifty homage to Pepe Le Pew (via Stella's faux-seduction of a Persian "guard cat" [Omid Djalili]), and yet another chance for Willis to make good fun of himself.
Movie Details
Studio: Dreamworks SKG, Directors: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 05/19/2006, DVD release: 10/17/2006
MPAA Rating: PG for for some rude humor and mild comic action.
Run time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release: 05/19/2006, DVD release: 10/17/2006
MPAA Rating: PG for for some rude humor and mild comic action.
Our Members Say
See all 53 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Good message, better for older kids than young
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
This is a DVD we own and watch over and over. It's very entertaining for the grown-ups as well as the kids. Some scary parts, lots of cartoon violence. Lots of laughs, clever storyline. We especially like all the suburban stereotype fun-poking.
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
cute PG movie is IFFY for younger kids.
This cute PG movie movie is IFFY for younger kids (1-5) because of lots of scary scenes,peril, and vilonce throughout the movie. Here are a couple: In the racoons dream he gets eaten by a bear but nothing gross or over the top scary is shown. Also near the end the animal have a dangerouse fight with a big bear and humans with very dangerouse weapons that could easily kill a human being. And another reason why it's IFFY for younger kids is because of the brief sexy content. Here are the scenes that have that in them: RJ the racoon says to the other animals " if the humans see you just roll over and give your privates a good licking they will love it!" (talk about gross!!!!!) And in another scene they try to make a skunk look attractive so that she can destract a cat so that the other animal can get inside the house. And lastly for languge theres an acational shoot or dang.
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
cute PG movie is IFFY foryounger kids.
This cute PG movie movie is IFFY for younger kids (1-5) because of lots of scary scenes,peril, and vilonce throughout the movie. Here are a couple: In the racoons dream he gets eaten by a bear but nothing gross or over the top scary is shown. Also near the end the animal have a dangerouse fight with a big bear and humans with very dangerouse weapons that could easily kill a human being. And another reason why it's IFFY for younger kids is because of the brief sexy content. Here are the scenes that have that in them: RJ the racoon says to the other animals " if the humans see you just roll over and give your privates a good licking they will love it!" (talk about gross!!!!!) And in another scene they try to make a skunk look attractive so that she can destract a cat so that the other animal can get inside the house. And lastly for languge theres an acational shoot or dang.
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great kids flick with a great soundtrack by Ben Folds. Rarely a scary scene (apart from the bear at the beginning). Better than I expected.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
a very......
a very good movie!
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I rate this title off for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
8 up
There's a part in this movie where one of the cartoons says when life stinks just roll over and lick your privates! He actually does. I just dont see how thats a good message. Wont see it again.
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I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
I like it
It's awesome!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
Family Movie Night!!!!
This was such a cute movie, and beautifully done. No objectionable content to speak of. A family must see.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Hilarious
This movie is awesome!
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
I like da cookie...
Another great Dreamworks movie. I watched it on Dvd with my daughter. It is super cute, filled with original humor and the villians aren't too scary. I recommend this movie to anyone with kids 6 or older.
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
Hysterical!!
Best cartoon I've ever watched. Awesome hyper squirrel, evil wild bear, insane exterminator plus a opposoms equals pure AWESOMENESS! A must-see for the whole family! Only rated it as four and up because two year olds wouldn't understand much of the humor, four year olds will find it hysterical.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
A lot of fun!!!
Smart and clever- a fun movie!!!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title off for age 0 and give it
I did not like it
I thought over the hedge was boring! It had a few funny parts but that was about it!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Laugh out loud!
I took my grandchildren to see the film........ages 5-14. Everyone of us enjoyed the movie thoroughly! We found we were still laughing out loud when we were out of the theater! Still talking about our favorite "critters"!!
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