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Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this movie is rife with bathroom humor involving toilets, poop, farts, spit, snot, and underwear. Younger kids will laugh at the obvious stuff and won't get the edgier humor aimed at older audiences. That said, some little ones might find the hunting-themed images -- guns, deer strapped to the front of trucks, hunters swarming the woods for fresh meat -- a bit disturbing. On the plus side, the movie might encourage older kids to put themselves in Boog's paws and consider what life is like outside their own neighborhood.
Families can talk about the importance of putting yourself in others' shoes. What if you went from a comfortable life -- like Boog's -- to having to fight for survival? Maybe that's a little weighty for kids under 10, but they'll get the message that it's good to nurture friendships and lean on each other through tough times. Families can also discuss the practice of hunting. Why do some people love hunting and others hate it? Why does hunting have to be regulated?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jane Boursaw
From some of the folks behind The Lion King and Monsters, Inc. comes an animated flick about the oddest of couples, inspired by the work of cartoonist Steve Moore.
Martin Lawrence voices Boog, a domesticated 900-lb. grizzly bear who lives in a comfortable garage complete with a cozy bed, his own teddy bear, three square meals a day, and a TV he uses to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Though he refuses to admit it, Boog is a "pet" bear; his owner is a kooky, loveable park ranger named Beth (Debra Messing). They live in the tranquil mountain town of Timberline.
One day while out and about with Beth, Boog sees a mule deer strapped to the front of a hunter's truck. He playfully pokes the deer, only to find that it's still alive and well! The chatty deer (think Donkey in Shrek), named Elliot (Ashton Kutcher), begs Boog to untie him. Boog agrees to help him out, but doesn't realize that he won't be able to get rid of the deer afterward. (Eliot, by the way, only has one antler. "Half doe, half buck," he says. "I'm a duck!")
Once free, Elliot barges into Boog's comfortable garage pad and quickly decides that the bear needs to be freed from "captivity." He lures his rescuer outside with a candy bar, and the two soon end up hopelessly lost in the woods. Boog has no bear skills whatsoever, so Elliot assures him that he knows the way back ... unfortunately, he doesn't have a clue.
And did we mention it's hunting season? In only a few days, the woods will be swarming with hunters just dying to kill something. One of the worst is Shaw (Gary Sinise), a scruffy, down vest-wearing guy who plays air guitar on his rifle and has no mercy when it comes to cute, furry animals. In fact, he believes that the animals are conspiring against the humans (he just may be right).
Odd couple Boog and Elliot encounter all sorts of crazy critters in the forest, including hot-tempered skunks, skittish bunnies, psychotic ducks, a porcupine who needs a hug, a beaver construction team, and a take-charge squirrel named McSquizzy (Billy Connolly) and his rogue gang. The animals soon realize that they'll have to band together if they're going to survive past hunting season (never mind that in real life, they'd be eating each other).
Yes, the wacky-sidekick plot is tiresome, and if you're downright sick of CGI animal movies, you're not alone. But OPEN SEASON does have some funny moments. Lawrence and Kutcher have great chemistry, and the movie's messages about friendship, loyalty, taking care of each other, and finding peace in a violent world never go out of style.
With each adversity the bear and the deer face in the woods, Boog learns something about self-reliance, and Elliot gains newfound self-respect. Sure, it's been done before. But with a lively cast, colorful animation, and a storyline that moves along quickly, there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours. If you can get past the crude humor, Open Season is pretty funny. Parents may be bored, but kids will love it.
Families who enjoy this movie will also like Over the Hedge, Madagascar, and The Wild.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentDouble entendres involving sex, flirting. |
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ViolenceA truck gets blown up with a propane gas tank; running gag about rabbits being abused (tossed about, thrown against windows); a character has acorns fired at him; wild scene involving characters going over a waterfall; slapstick violence throughout. |
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Language"Butt," "bummer," "hairless pink pahookey." |
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Social BehaviorCharacters break into a convenience store and binge on junk food; characters laugh at others' misfortunes; lots of bathroom humor involving toilets, butts, farts, spit, snot, underwear, and defecating. On the plus side, the main characters develop self reliance and self respect over the course of the movie, which also has messages about friendship, loyalty, and finding peace in a violent world. |
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CommercialismChevy trucks, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, candy items. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoBoog is tempted by candy; characters are shown "high" on sugar and coffee ("It's like freedom in a cup!"); some smoking and drinking among characters. |
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