Rated PG for some mild peril and rude humor.
Directed by Steve Oedekerk (writer of Bruce Almighty, Kung Pow, Patch Adams, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls)
Starring the voices of Kevin James, Courtney Cox, Danny Glover, Sam Elliott…
It’s been a while since I’ve seen an animated film this good. Barnyard will end up on my DVD shelf next to Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
It’s funny; several people have tried to wiggle into the “computer animated” market in the last few years. We saw decent attempts from movies like Hoodwinked, and Home on the Range. But the final consensus is, “It was good, but it was no The Incredibles.” Or “… no Finding Nemo.”
I think Barnyard has made the leap.
The tagline for the movie is, “What happens in the barn, stays in the barn.” Basically, when the farmer is away, all the animals play. But the story is really about a cow named Otis (Kevin James) who is thrown into the position of responsibility. Otis quickly learns the truth behind his father’s words: “A strong man stands up for himself. A stronger man stands up for others.”
Barnyard has talent in every area. The story, cleverly penned by Steve Oedekerk (writer of Bruce Almighty), is hilarious yet heartwarming. The voice talent is from some of the best in the business. Kevin James was perfect, and who doesn’t like Sam Elliot’s voice? The kids loved Jeffrey Garcia as Pip the Mouse. Not that any kid knows who Jeffrey Garcia is… but they know “Sheen’s” voice from Jimmy Neutron. Pip almost stole the show. And I had no complaints about the animation. (I admit, in the first scene I wondered a little bit when I saw the artists’ quirky depiction of humans, but I was quickly impressed by their animation of the animals. The coyotes were some of the scarier animated villains you’ll ever see. And kudos to the artist for other animals like “Wild Mike.”)
Don’t miss this one. It’s fun for everyone, kids, teenagers, and adults.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Absolutely. The only thing that someone might find offensive are a few jokes that were a little off color: joking about a dog licking himself, a rat that dropped a few pellets when he was scared, etc.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
