It's an undisclosed fact that the animals in the Barnyard are a lot smarter than they appear to their human keepers. But their secret may be utterly spoiled by a comedic cow named Otis (voiced by Kevin James). Nor do things improve when this ambitious moo-ver and shaker tries to lead the rest of the herd.
Male cows with udders are ridiculous—“udder"ly ridiculous. But once you get past this anatomical error, Barnyard: The Original Party Animals has its moments of farmyard fun.
It’s a classic case of coming out to play while the farmer is away. Turning the old red barn into a pool hall with poker, gambling, a dance floor and a bar, these animals are all about having a good time. Luckily, at least a couple of the beasts have the sense to keep any eye out for the farmer’s return.
Watching over the menagerie of critters is Ben the Bovine (voice by Sam Elliot) and Miles the mule (voice by Danny Glover). While the cows, chickens, pigs and horses whoop it up in the shed, Ben stands as a sentinel, protecting them from an encroaching pack of hungry coyotes led by Dag (voice by David Koechner).
Although he tries to groom his rebellious and irresponsible son to some day take over the role, Otis (voice by Kevin James) is reluctant to give up his wild ways. Joyriding in a stolen car with open bottles of milk (that mimic the effects of beer), the younger cow and his gang of buddies (voices by S. Scott Bullock, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche) go on a boy-tipping spree and then try to outrun the police. Later they steal motorcycles from outside of a bar. Only after an unexpected event and the arrival of a pregnant heifer named Daisy (voice by Courtney Cox) does Otis rethink his behaviors and his future.
This entirely CGI animated film has a familiar storyline about accepting responsibility and learning to appreciate wise advice. However, the message takes a while to learn for this unruly Holstein. For young audience members the lesson contains some portrayals of reckless behavior that are short on consequences, rude actions and tense moments when the farmyard critters and the wild coyotes face off on a dark night in an old junkyard. During their confrontation, one coyote has his head slammed against a bus window and many of the characters are hit, punched and kicked.
Still for older viewers and their parents, Barnyard may be one of the more entertaining of this year’s animated offerings with a mix of adult and children’s humor. While it may not be the most “moo”-ving film of the year, most families won’t mind hoofing it into theaters to visit this farm.
While Ben is eager to teach his son a sense of responsibility, Otis is all about having a good time. Sometimes that results in rude comments as well as irresponsible behavior such as driving in a stolen car with open bottles of milk that mimic the behavior of humans driving under the influence of alcohol. But not everything is fun and games. When the farmer inadvertently comes across the festivities, he is repeatedly kicked in the head while the animals decide how to cover their tracks. After coyotes attack the creatures on the farm, the untimely death of one of the animals causes a showdown in the junkyard that includes some scary and tense moments for young viewers. The brief discussion and portrayal of pregnancy and childbirth are also included.
How are adoptive parents portrayed in this film? How does Ben show his love for Otis?
Cow tipping is a common urban myth (although some would argue it’s true) portrayed in some films. In the movie Cars, the activity is also spoofed when two automobiles go out for a night of tractor tipping. To decide if you believe this legend, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_tipping.
If you are looking for a home movie where the Barnyard animals play, then roam no further than this DVD release. You can catch more silly antics of these Original Party Animals in seven deleted scenes, learn about method acting techniques from Kevin James (who supplies the voice of Otis the Cow), or horse-around to the melodies of Barnyard Bop and the Mud Music Video. Gamers can go hog-wild with three DVD-ROM offerings, as well as the Barnyard Demo Game. Audio tracks are available in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound (English and French), with subtitles in English and Spanish.
A herd of cows take action to save their farm from falling into the hands of an evil land grabber in the movie Home on the Range. A spider spares an unassuming little pig’s life in the animated adaptation of the children’s book Charlotte’s Web. In The Lion King, a father also tries to prepare his son to eventually take over as the leader of a pride of African lions.