Review: Barnyard

UK Release: 20th October 2006

This CGI cartoon crosses the thematic conceits of The Lion King with the skewed world presented in Gary Larson’s Far Side cartoons, where animals stand up and talk whenever humans aren’t looking.

Kevin James voices fun-loving cow Otis, who must face up to his manly responsibility when his father (Sam Elliott, who does a mean Johnny Cash impression at one point) is killed by coyotes. Writer/director Steve Oedekerk, better known for his live-action films Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, brings a strong cinematic sensibility to the proceedings, and Barnyard brims with often laugh-out-loud sight gags and one-liners.

Younger children may be a little disturbed by the violence and the movie’s dark undertones, while the more literal-minded will just feel confused by the film’s muddled biology: all the cows, male and female alike, have udders.

Radio Times rating:

***

UK cinema certificate PG
Running time 89mins

Review by Leslie Felperin

News: Steve Oedekerk

The director of this week’s animated comedy Barnyard will see his live-action comedy script Evan Almighty – a sort of sequel to 2003’s Jim Carrey vehicle Bruce Almighty – hit our sceens in July 2007. Although Morgan Freeman will be returning as God, Carrey is replaced by fellow comic Steve Carrell – most famous for The 40 Year Old Virgin and the US remake of The Office – who appeared in the last movie as the focus of Carrey’s wrath. As the Evan of the title, now a US Congressman, Carrell is approached by God to build a new Ark – of the Noah variety…

Oedekerk will also provide the voice of Mr. Beady in the TV spin-off series of Barnyard, planned for next year, as well as doing an Orson Wells by appearing in the lead, writing and directing Kung Pow 2: Tongue of Fury. Hardly Citizen Kane, but still… Busy guy.