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 HOODWINKED
by Jane Louise
Boursaw
Rated PG
for some mild action and thematic elements. Ok for kids 7 and up. 95
min. Directed by Cory Edwards. Released in theaters Jan. 13, 2006.
Should You
Take the Kids? Preschoolers probably won't "get" this movie, and
some scenes are inappropriate for little ones. Ages 6 and 7 might be
restless during the first half, but the action picks up big-time in the
second half. Best for kids 7 and up. For more details, see "Bringing the
Kids" below.
THE
STORY: We all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, right?
The big, bad wolf masquerades as Granny so he can gobble up the innocent
girl in the red hood. Then again, maybe this simple tale isn't so simple
after all. This movie tells the real story behind the scenes, and also
answers several burning questions, including: What was the wolf's true
motive? Where WAS Granny anyway? And who exactly IS Little Red Riding
Hood?
 The
story begins with various feathered and furry detectives answering a
"domestic disturbance" call at Granny's cottage in the woods. Once
there, they find four suspicious characters who aren't what they appear
to be. The seemingly innocent Red (voiced wonderfully by Anne Hathaway)
is worldly wise; the Big, Bad Wolf (Patrick Warburton) is terribly
misunderstood; Granny (Glenn Close) has a secret life no one could have
imagined; and the burly Woodsman (James Belushi) is, in reality, an
insecure guy with some surprising ambitions.
It appears to
be an open-and-shut case with assorted criminal charges, including:
breaking and entering, intent to eat, and wielding an axe without a
license. But looks can be deceiving. As debonair detective Nicky
Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), hard-nosed Police Chief Grizzly (rapper
Xzibit), and police officer Bill Stork (Anthony Anderson) question the
slippery suspects, they discover each one has a completely different
tale to tell.
Not only
that, it seems the crime has ties to the notorious "Goody Bandit" who's
been stealing valuable recipes from the woodsfolk. As a result, snack
shacks and goody shops are being forced out of business at an alarming
rate!
BRINGING THE KIDS:
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Although little ones might be familiar with
the classic version of Little Red Riding Hood, they probably won't
understand this re-telling of the tale, nor the humor. Also, some scenes
are not suitable for kids 5 and younger: the Goody Bandit and his thugs
strap a character to a cable car full of dynamite; Red resorts to
martial arts to scare off the wolf; some characters are attacked on a
ski slope by a group of thugs trying to take them out of a competition;
a high-strung squirrel finds himself bouncing off the trees after he
chugs a large mug of coffee; and there's a reference to trafficking,
only using muffins instead of drugs.
 GRADE-SCHOOLERS
(ages 6 - 10): While younger kids may not understand the humor in
this movie, older grade-schoolers will get a kick out of this modern
version of the tale. The first half of the movie is a little slow, but
picks up in the second half with lots of action. My 11-year-old son
loved the whole movie and immediately wanted to see it again, while my
8-year-old daughter grew a little restless during some parts. The
wonderful thing for this age group is that the movie breaks down common
stereotypes, including a granny who doesn't sit in her rocking chair
knitting sweaters, a woodsman who's sensitive and cultured, and a wolf
who isn't so bad after all.
TWEEN /
TEEN (ages 11+): This movie gives new life to some well-established
fairy-tale characters and introduces a few new ones, including a
yodeling goat and a snitching sheep. A highlight of the fun storyline is
the hip rock band playing at an extreme sports competition -- especially
the shades-wearing skunk on drums. The humor appeals to both kids and
adults, making this a fun movie for kids 7 and up.
SCORE:
3 out of 4 Reels.
Jane's Reel Rating
System:
One Reel Pathetic.
Even The Force cant save it.
Two Reels
Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels
Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels Wow! The
stuff dreams are made of.
E-chat with me
at
jane@reellifewithjane.com - I
LOVE to talk about movies!
Read my other reviews
here.
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