Should you bring the kids? Yes. Kids will love it! This animated movie has plenty of potty humor, but the message – always look out for each other -- makes up for it. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: Martin Lawrence is the voice of Boog, a domesticated 900-lb. Grizzly bear who lives in a comfortable garage with a cozy bed, a teddy bear, and a TV so he can watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Though he refuses to admit it, Boog is a "pet" bear, and his owner is a loveable park ranger named Beth (Debra Messing). They live in the tranquil mountain town of Timberline.

One day while out and about with Beth, Boog sees a mule deer (Ashton Kutcher) strapped to the front of a hunter's truck. He playfully pokes the deer, only to find that it's alive and well! The chatty deer, named Elliot (think "Donkey" in Shrek), begs Boog to untie him -- to avoid that uncomfortable situation of being "mounted to a wall." Boog agrees to help him out, but doesn't realize he won't be able to get rid of the deer, who, by the way, only has one antler. "Half doe, half buck," says Elliot. "I'm a duck!"

Once free, Elliot barges into Boog's comfy garage pad, and quickly decides the bear needs to be freed from this horrible "captivity". So he lures him outside with a sweet treat, and the two go on a junk-food rampage through a convenience store. They soon find themselves hopelessly lost in the woods, and Boog has no bear skills whatsoever. Elliot assures him he knows the way back. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a clue.

And did I mention it's hunting season? In just a few days, the woods will be swarming with hunters, including Shaw (Gary Sinise), a scruffy, down-vest-wearing guy who plays air guitar on his rifle and has no mercy for cute furry animals. In fact, he believes the animals are conspiring against the humans (and he just may be right).

The odd couple of Boog and Elliot encounter all sorts of crazy critters, including hot-tempered skunks, skittish bunnies, psychotic ducks, a porcupine who needs a hug, a beaver construction team, and a take-charge squirrel named McSquizzy and his rogue gang of Scottish squirrels. The animals soon realize they'll have to band together if they're going to survive past hunting season. Never mind that in real life, they'd be eating each other.

PARENTS SHOULD KNOW: This movie is rife with potty humor: toilets, poop, farts, spit, snot, barfing, and underwear. Violence includes a truck being blown up with a propane gas tank; a running gag about rabbits being tossed about and thrown against windows; a character being assaulted with acorns; a wild scene involving characters going over a waterfall; and a final showdown between animals and hunters. Language includes "butt," "bummer," "bugger," "crap," and "crud".

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Some of the PG content really isn't suitable for preschoolers (see above). And let's face it, little ones might find the sight of guns, deer strapped to the front of trucks, and hunters swarming the woods for fresh meat a bit disturbing. Better forest-friendly alternatives include "Bambi II" (not quite as traumatic as "Bambi"), "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," and "The Jungle Book" (with that loveable Baloo the Bear!).

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): Ok, the wacky-sidekick thing is oh so tired, and some of us are downright sick of CGI movies with animals. But this one has a lot going for it. Lawrence and Kutcher have great chemistry, and the messages of friendship, taking care of each other, and finding peace in a homicidal world never go out of style. With each adversity they face in the woods, Boog learns self-reliance, Elliot gains self-respect, and all the animals learn that it's good to stick together.

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): This movie skews a bit young for the tween/teen crowd, but it's perfect if you have older kids taking care of little ones for an afternoon. With a lively cast, fun songs by The Talking Heads and others, colorful animation, and a storyline that moves along quickly, it's a fun way to spend a couple of hours. If you can get past the crude humor, it's pretty funny. By the way, this is Sony's first venture into CGI territory, and this movie is inspired by the work of syndicated cartoonist Steve Moore.