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Open Season (2006)
Director: Roger Allers, Jil Culton, Anthony Stacchi
Movie review
From Time Out Chicago
Critters who by all rights should be wild enjoy lives of luxury among humans until they are thrown back into nature. Quick, is that Madagascar, The Wild or Open Season? Do the people behind the computer-animation glut have no original ideas? Honestly, though, this is among the less annoying animated films to choke the theaters of late. Boog (Lawrence) is a grizzly bear who has been raised by well-meaning ranger Beth (Messing) in a mountain town. He sleeps in her garage, owns a teddy bear and uses the toilet. But when wisecracking mule deer Elliot (Kutcher) lures Boog into trashing a convenience store in search of chocolate, Beth goes all Born Free on Boog’s ass, dropping him (and Elliot) far from town so he can revert to nature. Boog just wants to get home. Elliot just wants to have fun. And a crazed hunter (Sinise) just wants to kill anything and everything with four legs. The whole film feels like the road-company production of a better film. The voice talents are adequate but not great, Paul Westerberg’s songs on the soundtrack are heartfelt but not memorable, and the animation is okay. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but an indifferent shrug is about all we could muster.Author: Hank Sartin
Time Out Chicago Issue 83: Sept 28–Oct 4, 2006
Cast & crew
Director: Roger Allers, Jil Culton, Anthony Stacchi
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Children's, Comedy
Duration: 86 mins
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