Barnyard

When the farmer's not looking, the animals will party and play, human-style: Gary Larson did more with this idea in a single The Far Side cartoon than an army of animators can muster in this tepid computer-generated feature-length kid's flick. Steve Oedekerk's Barnyard is built around a standard-issue premise: Otis, a rambunctious young bull inclined to get into trouble, is compelled to learn responsibility when his father, who's kept the other animals in line and offered them protection from predators, is killed by a pack of coyotes. Not surprisingly, Otis finds it hard to fill his daddy's hoof prints. There are a few amusing moments in Barnyard, but ultimately there's far more loud noise and saccharine lessons about growing up than any real fun, and while the voice talent (including Kevin James, Courteney Cox, and Danny Glover) is fine, they can't overcome the mediocrity of the script or the periodic songs (although Sam Elliott's rendition of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' “I Won't Back Down” has a gravelly charm). Undemanding youngsters may find the movie sufficiently colorful to hold their interest, but among the increasing number of computer-generated animated movies, this one is a fairly pallid entry (and adults should be prepared to explain to kids why all the bulls have udders). Not recommended. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include an audio commentary (by director Steve Oedekerk, producer Paul Marshal, and other crew members), “An Animator's Life” featurette (12 min.), “Utter Talent: Voices of Barnyard” (11 min.), seven deleted scenes with optional commentary (10 min.), “Boogying in the Barn” on the music (6 min.), “Method Acting with Kevin James” (2 min.), the music videos “Mud” and “Barnyard Bop,” DVD-ROM features (including a comic book creator and three games), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so kid's flick.] (F. Swietek)