Powerful

People are voting emotionally.

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

When I was younger, I thought this movie was great. Clearly it is not, but I would recommend watching this if you're a young child and enjoy bottom-of-the-barrel gross-out humor. Its mainly absurdist humor and the story is simple with lots of cliches and stupid. I don't think many people above the age of around 8 are going to enjoy this movie. Otherwise, its pretty fun.

Open Season (2006): Dir: Roger Allers, Jill Culton / Voices: Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Gary Sinise, Debra Messing, Billy Connolly: Although often funny, here is an example of a film that forgets its target audience. It is the dawn of new things as Boog, a bear that performs, frees mule deer Elliott from the clutches of hunter Shaw. Simple setup leads to both animals released into the wild and dealing with hunting season, which leads to a corny retaliation. Structure works because animal personalities shine. Director Roger Allers is joined by Jill Culton and both are backed by detailed animation. Boog is voiced by Martin Lawrence as a grizzly bear with a life of his own. He lived a life of luxury in Ranger Beth's garage but once free in the wild, he is unable to fend for himself. He is voiced by Martin Lawrence, with Ashton Kutcher stealing much of the film as Elliott, the one-horned mule deer. Gary Sinise voices hunter Shaw in what amounts to a cardboard character cliché that never seems to elevate. Debra Messing as Beth is another case of lazy character placement. As an owner of Boog she had potential, but she gets reduced to an after thought. Billy Connolly voices a gray squirrel and that is amongst the several animals that appear and are better seen on Animal Planet. Theme regards friendship although certain species by nature do not collaborate regardless what season is open. Score: 6 / 10

Open Season is not one of the best animated films ever but it still stands out as a film that doesn't take itself too seriously and the people who were in charge knew what they were doing. The story boards all seem to fit together wonderfully like a puzzle should. Open Season is a film that goes astray and dares to be different from the rest.Boog is a cuddly Grizzly Bear raised by his owner Beth who rescued him as a cub. While Beth and Boog go into town one day they run into a nasty hunter named Shaw. Shaw has a deer on his truck that he claims to have shot but he instead ran poor Elliot over. Elliot is set free by Boog and Shaw is angered. Later on Elliot finds Boog and tells him to bust out of his home and come with him but Boog is happy in his home. Elliot lures him outside with Woo-Hoo chocolate bars and takes him out for a night on the town. Boog is unfortunately caught causing havoc at a local gas station and is brought back home. While Beth is performing her and Boog's next show Elliot shows up saying he is being threatened by Shaw and Boog is not happy with what has happened the night before and tries to get rid of Elliot. Shaw unfortunately almost ruins the show and Beth is forced to tranquilize Boog before he gets hurt. Beth is then told that she should let Boog be in the wild. She does not want to let him go but she does so unwillingly. Boog is out in the woods by himself; or is he?Open Season doesn't try to amaze with flashy animation but the story is good enough to keep it interesting.Perhaps the worst thing going for Open Season is that it seems to portray hunters as bad and that they don't follow the regulations. I am personally not a fan of hunting but not everyone who hunts is a poacher. There are some decent hunters out there who follow the rules.Open Season is enjoyable for everyone. Pace is great and doesn't slow down.

I saw pictures and clips of this computer animated cartoon movie and thought it was going to be an easy to like, so when I got the opportunity I had a look. Basically 900 pound brown grizzly bear Boog (Martin Lawrence) has been domesticated by his carer, park ranger Beth (Debra Messing), and become a star attraction on stage. One day he saves the life of one-antlered mule deer Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) from the truck bonnet of hunting fanatic Shaw (Gary Sinise), and he is annoyed by his new "friend". It is after a trip to a supermarket and a misunderstanding during a stage show that Beth is convinced Boog has become like a wild bear again, and sees no choice but to release him into the wild, on the verge of Open Season. With his perfect world taken away from him, Boog is now determined to get back to Beth, and it seems Elliot might be the only one who can help him do that. Along the way it is obvious that Boog has no idea to be a wild bear, with problems like eating and pooing in the woods, but at least he and Elliot are developing a strong bond. Shaw meanwhile is of course getting ready to go hunting for the two animals, with a variety of weapons, and is convinced that animals are getting too close to humans. Eventually after some of the forest animals dismissing them and not being able to help them, Elliot is captured and when it looks like Boog has a way to go home, he can't help but feel the need to help his friend. In the end, all the forest animals fight off the hunters and defeat Shaw, and Boog decides with Beth's agreement that he belongs in the woods, with his friend Elliot. Also starring Billy Connolly as squirrel McSquizzy, Jon Favreau as beaver Reilly, Family Guy's Patrick Warburton as mule deer Ian and 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski as mule deer Giselle. The animation isn't quite up to the scratch of Pixar, but the good casting, the shadow part and wild animal jokes and other laughs besides are fun, it is a alright animated comedy adventure. Worth watching!