Despite being safely secured in the number two position behind Pixar when it comes to CG animated films, Dreamworks' animation division does not get a lot of love from film fans. Sure, lots of people love the Shrek films, but beyond that, their films are either viewed as shallow pieces of pop culture entertainment (Shark Tale), or wrongheaded attempts to mimic the Disney formula, focusing too much on big-name talent and not enough on the story being told (um...Shark Tale). Over the Hedge offers a glimmer of hope that maybe someone at the studio is listening. Consistently funny and entertaining, complete with a heartfelt message at its core, this is the one that animation fans have been waiting all year for. It may not be enough to push the studio to the top of the heap, but it is the first animated release this year that actually stayed with me after walking out of the theater. That's more than I can say for the crummy Hoodwinked or the mediocre The Wild.

Based on the long-running newspaper comic strip, the film tells the story of a fast-talking raccoon named R.J. (voice by Bruce Willis), who finds himself in a life or death situation when he winds up destroying a hibernating bear's stash of junk food after his attempt to swipe a snack from the grizzly goes horribly wrong. The bear (whose growling voice is provided with appropriate gusto and viciousness by Nick Nolte) is understandably not happy, and offers R.J. an offer he literally can't refuse - restock his entire cave with food in one week or die. The raccoon laments over his soon-to-be-sealed fate, wondering how he will gather such a large amount of food in such a short time until he comes across a newly developed suburban community, complete with ignorant humans who live to stuff their faces with food. Even better, he comes across a small group of animals who have just awakened from winter hibernation, only to find most of their forest home gone and replaced by the terrifying and strange human community. The group of animals, led by soft-spoken turtle Verne (Garry Shandling) are not sure what to make of this new world they have awakened to. Fortunately, R.J. is here to befriend them and show them the ropes of dealing with humans. Of course, he's just using them to help swipe food from the community so he can save his own skin. What none of the animals realize is that their presence is already starting to be known by the humans, and they have called upon a vicious exterminator (Thomas Hayden Church) to take care of the sudden rodent problem.

Though its plot may be slight, Over the Hedge overcomes this obstacle by bringing together a likeably offbeat group of animal characters, all of whom would probably be worthy enough to star in their own animated film. Besides R.J. and Verne, the other animals who find themselves having to adapt to humanity include the child-like hyperactive squirrel Hammy (Steve Carell), no-nonsense skunk Stella (Wanda Sykes), a family of porcupines led by a mother and father who talk like they just walked right off the set of the Coen Brothers' Fargo (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara), and a father and teenage daughter possum couple who specialize in playing dead whenever trouble strikes, even if the daughter finds the act extremely humiliating. (William Shatner and singer Avril Lavigne). These are not the soulless comic relief sidekicks that plague so many other lesser animated films. They have genuine emotions, they are fairly developed considering the brief 85-minute running time, and they are actual characters with real fears and concerns. In a wise move, the creative staff behind this film have steered clear of the usual Dreamworks formula of stuffing the film to the brim with pop culture references and rapid-fire gags, and have instead crafted a story where the humor grows from the characters, the dialogue, and their relationships with one another. It's rare to find these things in an animated movie, or even a live action one, and the fact that Over the Hedge manages to do all of this so well makes it special.

As is to be expected, the animation is pleasing to the eye, with a strong artstyle that skillfully mixes realistic backgrounds with more cartoon-based character designs. The characters mesh well with their surroundings and never seem out of place of awkward. There are a number of little details I noticed in this movie that I enjoyed, such as the way the animal fur reacts appropriately to the action that the character is currently involved in, all the way to the clever and funny reaction shots and facial expressions of the animal characters. They're human enough for audiences to be able to relate to them, but they do not act like people trapped in furry costumes. They don't go around quoting popular movies or music (except for a pampered house cat who apparently once watched A Streetcar Named Desire with his human owner), and they are not one-liner machines who spout off quick wit at a moment's notice. Verne and his "family" are lost and confused, and R.J. slowly begins to accept and feel accepted by the very people he is trying to swindle. These are the characters we're supposed to relate to, while the human characters are kept appropriately underdeveloped, so that they seem just as alien and foreign to us as they do to the animals that have found themselves forced into this strange new world of SUVs and hi-definition TVs. I don't want to give the impression that the film is entirely serious, as there are plenty of moments that will have kids laughing, and the accompanying adults as well. The way that Hammy the Squirrel winds up saving the day is one of the best visual gags I've seen in a movie in quite a while.

This being an animated film, the voice acting is key in bringing the characters to life. Fortunately, Over the Hedge has rounded up a top-flight cast. Bruce Willis (stepping in for Jim Carrey, who was originally given the role of R.J.) and Garry Shandling have a fitting odd couple relationship and play well off of each other. Steve Carell proves that his shining role in last year's 40-Year Old Virgin was no fluke, and that he's more than capable of carrying a comedy, even an animated one, and gets some of the biggest laughs in the film. I was also surprised by the surprisingly honest performance by young singer Avril Lavigne, especially considering that this is her first film role. She has a likeable voice and personality that pretty much makes you forget that she's a singer who's dabbling in acting. The voices fit each individual character to a tee, and they are even able to make us care about them. Even Eugene Levy, an actor whose very presence almost seems to guarantee the film's going to be a dud in my eyes, did very little to annoy me.

There's very little to find fault with Over the Hedge, even if the accompanying soundtrack by recording artist Ben Folds is mostly immediately forgettable. It's a wonderful little film filled with wonderful characters, and is certain to entertain. It may not be remembered as a classic such as the Toy Story films, but it has a lot more heart than just about any other animated feature I can think of this year. There's a lot to like here, and if you can make your way past the world-shattering hype surrounding the bloated and dull Da Vinci Code, I think you'll find that Over the Hedge is well worth your time. I don't say this very often, but when it was over, I thought to myself it'd be nice to see more of these characters. They're just too good to be confined to a single movie.

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