With humans reproducing at astronomical rates, it's little surprise that we're encroaching on what's left of "the wild." As a result, unavoidable encounters between people and all sorts of animals are occurring, with the latter usually getting the short end of the stick.
While some of that's due to most animals not comparing favorably to thousands of pounds of moving metal or the elimination of their habit, some is also because many people view any animal that isn't domesticated as a pest and thus want it exterminated, or at least as a target in their hunting sights.
Of course, there are those who take in wounded or abandoned animals, nurse them back to health, and then try to release them into the wild. That's done in the hope that the critters can overcome the odds, obstacles, and competition from their own kind and others to not only survive, but also thrive.
Not unlike filmmakers, particularly of the computer-animated genre and especially the talking animal variety that seem to be reproducing like deer or bunnies of recent. All of which brings us to "Open Season," the latest in a long line of communicative critter flicks to hit the screen this year ("Over the Hedge, "The Ant Bully" and "Barnyard" being others in just the past few months). Accordingly, those who've nurtured along this project probably have their fingers crossed that it can survive in a marketplace already saturated with films of its ilk.
As penned by Steve Bencich & Ron J. Friedman and Nat Mauldin, the plot is a familiar one, at least in terms of generalities. First, and most obviously, the animals talk and behave like humans, with much of the earlier humor stemming from the mismatched pairing of disparate character types. As in most such "buddy" stories, one irritates the other, and the humor is supposed to stem from that, as well as attributes commonly associated with those voicing them (for instance, Boog sure seems like Martin Lawrence just dressed up in a bear suit).
The added twist is that his otherwise straight man character -who's something of a goofball when not in the company of his sidekick, Elliot the scrawny deer - is a homebody in that he's been raised by a park ranger, loves his human creature comforts, and is afraid of the outdoors.
Not surprisingly, he ends up smack dab in the middle of that and must try to fend for himself, thus offering more comedic bits about him trying to fit in. The plot then segues into the part sporting the film's title where he, his new "buddy" and an assortment of other animals must contend with a bunch of hunters (most notably a vindictive one) who want them to come out and play, thus resulting in them going Bugs Bunny on all of their Elmer Fudds.
As directed by Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi, the film does have its share of funny moments, and Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, and the other vocal performers (including Debra Messing, Gary Sinise, Billy Connolly, and Patrick Warburton) get decent mileage out of their characterizations. Yet, and unlike "Over the Hedge," the film isn't as clever or imaginative as it could and should have been, and certainly not as smart as that pic in doing various bits of homage to its predecessors (the best it does in such regards is a not particularly funny "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" bit).
Yet, while adults and those who've seen too many of these sorts of films might find it only moderately amusing, less discerning and/or under-exposed younger kids will likely enjoy the offerings. They'll also be drawn in by the handsome visuals. While the computer animation isn't quite up to snuff with the best Pixar has done, it is strikingly vivid in its various renderings (you gotta love all of that fur), and there are some fun action sequences that are handled quite well.
Like many such offerings, the smaller details and minor characters offer as much or more entertainment as their bigger and/or overall general counterparts. Various unnamed bunnies become the brunt of many a slapstick moment (the pic goes so far as to state in the end credits that none were harmed -- as if that's even possible -- during the filming), while a porcupine seems to be channeling E.T. in terms of long, drawn-out and stoned simpleton verbalizations.
It's hard to tell if the film has what it takes to stand out from the rest of the herd of computer-animated films featuring talking animals, but "Open Season" is lightweight, amusing, and entertaining enough to earn a 5 out of 10 rating.
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