Open Season
October 09, 2006
2.5 stars
Yes, there are a few funny double entendre lines ("We need your nuts. And your acorns too." And the whole joke about a bear who is unable to …. in the woods). And a few more I've forgotten. But that's the problem with this film: it's forgettable. It touches nothing, changes nothing. It takes nothing but pictures and leaves no footprints on your mind.
The computer animation is technically amazing and brilliant, the voices are top drawer (Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Jon Favreau, Gary Sinise--God, that man makes a good villain, Debra Messing, Billy Connolly). But once again we are reminded that it's the story, stupid. All the visual, acting and artistic talent in the world cannot make us care about a lackluster story. Apparently, there are actually very few storytelling geniuses in the world, and they don't work for Sony Animation. Disney plundered the literary past or sang its way into our hearts, Pixar struck the perfect balance between whimsy and humor--or maybe just beat us to death with the voice of John "Cliff the Mailman on Cheers" Ratzenberger. Sony needs… well, a clue to go with its technology.