BARNYARD
For severe lack of options currently in theaters, I found myself seeing a movie I thought you wouldn't have been able to pay me to see... BARNYARD. I couldn't have had less interest in seeing this movie, however a friend of mine swore that when they took the kids they were babysitting, they laughed so hard they snorted. So I figured, why not.
I can honestly say the film is enjoyable, and I'll get to the reasons why later on in this write up. But their are some glaringly bad qualities to these movies that need to be mentioned. The animation is simply not up to par for what other studios are offering right now. It all feels non-dimensional and simple. Character designs lack creativity and the execution could have been much better. Also, the voice work does little to improve the material (with the exception of David Koechner as the villainous Coyote). To be honest, people like Courtney Cox have never been worse or less engaging.
I would describe the plot here, however it's easier to say watch THE LION KING. Except here, the film tries to mix the most dramatic elements of THE LION KING with slapstick/crude humor that doesn't mix. THE LION KING's humor had some class to it which allowed the drama to feel real. However, when BARNYARD attempts to be dramatic it just feels awkward because two seconds before you watched a mouse crap pellets onto the head of a pig. Not only are main plots stolen from THE LION KING, but the villains are painfully reminiscent of the Hyenas in that better film.
Nonetheless, BARNYARD has some genuinely funny moments. While other family CGI films seem to excel at balancing wonderful storytelling with intelligent humor and social commentary (Pixar for example), this film simply goes for the laugh at all costs. This takes away virtually all artistic merit for the film. But then again, it's not as if BARNYARD was ever aiming for artistic merit. BARNYARD was gunning for mindless humor that would appeal to kids and adults, and it succeeds to great extents in some sequences. In particular, there is a scene in which the farmer witnesses the other life his animals lead and they hilariously try to convince him it was all a hallucination.
While this works well for kids, I couldn't help but want a more engrossing plot. The plot is too familiar and the animation does nothing to enhance it with a visual flair. Though the film kept me laughing, anytime I wasn't laughing at some stupid joke I found myself anxious for it all to be over. In general, BARNYARD is good for a hearty laugh, but not as a full movie.
... C ...
