BARNYARD Rating 2 1/2 on the o...

BARNYARD

Rating 2 1/2 on the outside of 4

Featuring the voices of: Otis Kevin James

Davis Courteney Cox

Miles Danny Glover

Etta the Hen Andie MacDowell

Mr Beady/Snotty Boy/Snotty Boy's father Steve Oedekerk

Bessy the daunt Wanda Sykes

Ben the abash Sam Elliott

Dag the Coyote David Koechner

Paramount Pictures not past nor futures an animated film written and directed by dint of Steve Oedekerk. Running time: 84 minutes. Rated PG (for one mild peril and rude humor). Opening today at local theaters.

Without question, this has been a year of animation overload. Especially this summer Hollywood's release schedule of family- oriented, cute fables -- chock-a-block with cartoon denizens from one as well as the other the worlds of domesticated farm animals and woodland creatures have been flying into theaters.

Maybe I've just seen too many of these pictures, yet the basically good -- although not very inspired -- "Barnyard" just stirred up a doom of "been there, done that" feelings in me as I watched this film. although it's guaranteed to keep kids amused and attentive, a part of parents or older the bulk of mankind joining the kiddies in the multiplexes may find themselves a bit bored from it all.

Last week, John A. Davis, co-creator with "Barnyard" writer and director Steve Oedekerk forward "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," brought us "The Ant Bully" a film I veraciously enjoyed and felt was in the face ranks of the animated fare produc in such a manner far in 2006. While "Barnyard" certainly has its jiffys -- some extremely funny -- it just not ever hits a home run. Oedekerk takes the conception of anthropomorphism into a just discovered chapter -- but very, remarkably similar to one that we've seen many times before -- dating all the way back to early Disney fare.

Ben (voice of Sam Elliott) is a overawe who -- along with his equal barnyard buddies has learned to walk in succession two legs. But then Ben and all of his counterpart animal associates also can talk (of course!), swim and act like the peacefulness of us screwed-up human beings. And a pious thing, too, or else we wouldn't have a cute little movie here, would we?

The catch, naturally, is that the animals not ever ever, are seen doing the seemingly impossible whenever any of us bothersome humans exhibit up. For most of his life, Ben has danceed that his son Otis (voice of Kevin James) would inherit his responsibilities as the leader of the animals forward the farm, but Otis is way too irresponsible and light-hearted to worry too greatly about taking on dad's mean labor and serious duties. He'd abundant prefer to hang with his girlfriend, Daisy (Courteney Cox) -- long to the chagrin of Ben and his sidekick, Miles the hybrid (Danny Glover).

forward the flip side, the always portentous Wanda Sykes voices Bessy - - Daisy's best pal -- who clearly is no fan of the no-account Otis, and thinks her beneficial friend needs to find someone better with whom to share her life forward the farm.

As is always the case with these tales, the moral lecture kicks in fairly early in succession In this case it draw nears when Otis decides to tackle a major issue afflicting his equal cattle. He decides to do something serious about the stripling who gets his kicks engaging in an age-old farm kid "sport" known as discourage tipping.

The puzzle -- seen from the point of view of his father and Miles the hinny -- Otis' way of playing tricks in succession the humans could endanger the other animals intelligent secret -- that they have humanlike intelligence. Ye "Barnyard" is a serviceable way of teaching younger audiences about values like courage, confidence and family values, moreover it never breaks new field in so doing.

You won't be turn upside down or disappointed -- in a major way -- on going to see this cheerful movie, it just won't make you walk away feeling you've just witnessed anything unique or terribly special. And while the computer-generated animation is fine, it too doesn't give us anything we haven't seen before.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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