A lot of movies out there claim that they’re ‘fun for the whole family’ when in fact they’re just for the kids. Open Season is a movie that the entire family will actually enjoy.

Boog (voiced by Martin Lawrence) has got it made. He has a good job, a good home, and a good woman that takes care of his every need. Every man’s dream, right? Only thing is, he’s a bear. Boog has never had to hunt for himself or fight for himself or anything a normal bear would have to worry about. That is until a young buck by the name of Elliot (voiced by Ashton Kutcher) feels the need to show him what he’s ‘missing’. Elliot drags Boog out into the town and they have the time of their lives. Although, as we all know, staying out all night has it’s consequences. Suddenly Boog no longer has everything handed to him when his fed-up caretaker drops him off in the middle of the forest to live, once and for all. Hilarity ensues when Boog and his new friend are faced with the task of surviving in the wild while they try to find their way back home.

I’m not usually one for animated features, but I found this movie was really entertaining. The different personalities and accents of the woodland creatures made me forget this was a movie for kids and had me hooked five minutes into the film. Martin Lawrence’s voice gives Boog a laid back vibe that’s just fun to watch. Then Ashton’s Elliot adds a different hyper and neurotic character who hard not to laugh at. When the two are in panic mode while lost in the woods, they run into a pair of Hispanic skunks, some Asian trout, a Scottish army of squirrels (diversity in animation is alive and well over Sony Pictures), and a jerk of a deer who rivals the bullies of those 80′s teen movies we can’t seem to forget. Open Season is also another one of those new breed of animated features that pass with a ‘PG’ rating, but still manages to slip in some jokes that will puzzle the kids. It keeps the adults from getting bored, I suppose. Either way, there’s no singing to worry about, minimal dramatic songs about friendship and/or love, and we’re only subjected to Ashton Kutcher’s voice for eighty-five minutes. Oh, and keep your eyes open for the rabbits, they’re the real stars of the film. You’ll know what I mean when you see them.

Buy this DVD, and then play it off like it’s a gift for the kids or the younger siblings. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.