by Ginger Voight

Created on: March 29, 2008   Last Updated: April 06, 2010

Beginning with the very successful Shrek franchise, Dreamworks Animation has definitely shown Disney and Pixar there's a new kid on the block. Their success stems directly from aiming to entertain the adults in the audience and not just the kids.  This is what is known as 4Q  - or four quadrant - entertainment;  movies that appeal to young and old, male and female.  

Many CG animated films bank on this formula for success, as was the case with "Over the Hedge", a smart animated movie based on a comic strip. It went head to head with Disney/Pixar's "Cars" the year of its release in 2006. Though it didn't match "Cars" opening box office of $60 million, it definitely pulled in a respectful $38 million on its own opening day, and has grossed over $335,000 million worldwide since its release. This lands it a spot on the top twenty highest grossing computer animated films of all time.

This is because it truly qualifies as a "four quadrant" film. While the lovable if not manic squirrel Hammy (voiced by the equally manic Steve Carell) was there to entertain the kids in the audience, quips about popular culture made sure that the parents were amused as well, with exchanges such as:

RJ: That is an S.U.V; Humans ride in then because they are slowly losing their ability to walk.
Penny: Jeepers, its so big!
Lou: How many humans fit in there?
RJ: Usually, one.

The story begins when mischievous raccoon RJ (voiced by Bruce Willis) attempts to rob a hibernating bear Vincent (voiced by Nick Nolte). His greed leads to his getting caught and subsequently losing all the food, which doesn't sit too well with the menacing bear.

He then has to bargain his survival by promising to restore Vincent's bounty within one week. He doesn't really have a plan on how to do that, but that's the essence of RJ's character. He's a true opportunist, so when he runs across some naive foragers he immediately assesses conning them will get him off the hook.

The pack of foragers is led by Verne, the turtle, perfectly cast with Garry Shandling. As he describes, "I'm naturally tentative. There's even places in my shell I haven't been." From the moment he awakens from hibernation, it's his sole purpose to replenish their food supply in preparation for the winter.

The moment he meets RJ, he knows something is amiss no matter how charming and beguiling the crafty coon happens to be.

His mismatched family, however, falls for RJ's line hook, line and sinker, especially with the introduction

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