Open Season (2006)


Open Season is animated good fun for children.

After a serious misdeed, a city-raised grizzly bear named Boog (Martin Lawrence) is sent to live in the forest just a few days before hunting season begins. His human mom, Beth (Debra Messing) worries that he will not be able to take care of himself because Boog knows nothing about the forest, or how to fend for himself. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Boog meets Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) a one horned deer with a hustle for everything and everyone. After Elliot talks Boog into helping him escape from the clutches of a brutal hunter called Shaw, much to the chagrin of Boog, the two become inseparable. Thanks to Elliot’s antics, he and Boog get into all kinds of trouble as they roam the forest and annoy the inhabitants along the way.

Boog is quickly learning that not all humans are as kind as Beth and not all are his friend. The man who captured Elliot is not kind, nor is he a friend. He is mean, snarly and a bully. Shaw lives in a cabin filled with the heads of forest creatures on his wall. He is angry that Elliot has escaped and sets out to recapture him. He is also searching for the bear that set Elliot free. While fleeing Shaw, the boys also have to prepare for the arrival of the hunters who will soon arrive with guns and bad attitudes.

City bear Boog is astounded to see that the forest is filled with beauty and wondrous critters; including Elliot’s rival, a muscular deer named Ian (Patrick Warburton), and a girl deer named Giselle (Jane Krakowski) whom Elliot loves. All of the creatures are fearful of the hunters who will soon make their yearly raid. Boog begins to understand that, although the forest is beautiful it can also be very dangerous. After talking to Boog and Elliot, the animals make a decision that they will not run and hide from the hunters’ this time; instead, they plan a counter-attack.

The colony of animals, including a squadron squirrels, headed up by General McSquizzy (Billy Connolly), a bevy bunnies, an insecure skunk, the hard-working beavers and their ‘working-man boss’ beaver Reilly (Jon Favreau) band together to meet the hunter’s head-on and fight back. When the hunter’s arrive, all heck breaks loose. Kids seem to love this movie.

Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher were excellence choices for the voices of Boog and Elliot. Ashton Kutcher may be most familiar as Kelso on That 70’s Show.

Rated PG. There is some slightly crude humor that will probably go over a child’s head