A raccoon called RJ is struggling to get a snack out of a vending machine in a park. After several failed attempts to release the stuck treat, RJ finds some snacks by this bear, Vincent. So, he takes them – only to wake Vincent up and anger him. Even worse, RJ accidentally releases the food onto the street, and it gets run over by a car.

Vincent is furious and tries to hurt him. RJ promises to find him more food within about a week. Vincent warns him to keep his promise – otherwise he’ll track him down and destroy him.

The scene then switches to a bunch of animals that just woke up from hibernation. They are hungry but can’t find any food. Yet they do notice a completely different “world” over this hedge they call “Steve.” However, they don’t think it’s safe because of the humans and what they might do to them.

But RJ promises them lots of good food and that they will remain unharmed. So, he gives them a tour of the neighborhood and talks about how people use food every day. Then he lets them eat from garbage cans.

Meanwhile, though, an irritated woman named Gladys is unhappy with what the wildlife are doing to the area. So, she gets the exterminator, Dwayne LaFontant, involved. She even wants to do things with him that are illegal.

Sometime later, Verne the turtle tries to return the food to the humans. RJ tries to stop him – except that an excited dog chases both of them. That causes all the food to be damaged.

The rest of the creatures turn on Verne. But then he reconciles with them. RJ even decides to have them raid Gladys’s house.

While the animals are inside, Stella the skunk is disguised as a cat and distracting Gladys’s cat, whom she calls Tiger. However, not long after, Gladys catches them and they are taken away in extermination trucks. They even distrust RJ, as well.

But can RJ still save them and achieve his goals?

This movie engaged me as much as it did when I saw it as a kid in the movie theater. I did forget a lot of parts, though, such as Vincent the bear.

But there were also moments that I remembered, such as the Girl Scouts selling cookies around the neighborhood. I loved when they were grossed our by Verne’s butt and without his shell.

I will admit that Verne was sometimes unlikable. But he was still a good guy.

I particularly admired RJ’s determination to get food for himself, the other animals, and even Vincent. I also learned that he was voiced by Bruce Willis, who sadly can’t talk anymore because of his dementia. I loved his portrayal as RJ.

Other famous actors include Wanda Sykes as Stella the skunk and even Avril Lavigne as Heather the teenage possum. It was nice hearing what Avril Lavigne sounded like outside her songs.

Anyway, the pacing was also quick and tension levels remained high. One little flaw I had, though, was with the CG animation quality. Yes, it was from 2006. But even then, there were other movies with CGI in higher resolution.

Otherwise, I enjoyed Over the Hedge. It can be watched by both today’s kids and those who grew up with it.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.