What the Film? is a film review series where I look at movies with an overall negative rating by critics, audiences or both. For this addition to the series, I am looking at a very special film: “Open Season.”
Yes, this movie is almost turning 20 years old. And yes, I am a 20-year-old myself; this movie is only two months younger than I am. But to call this movie anything short of a classic is highly out of pocket. But what’s the kick? What makes me understand why the modern world is in shambles? Because this movie has a 48% on the Tomatometer while “Lesbian Space Princess” is sitting at a 98%. What’s even worse is that the Popcornmeter for “Open Season” shares a similar number to the critics, sitting at a 57% score. At least audiences are aware they have a brain when it comes to “Lesbian Space Princess,” sitting at 33% on the Popcornmeter.
So, to look at “Open Season” in its entirety, the plot is simple: A bear named Boog (or Boogster), who has been raised by a human, Elizabeth, finally “goes wild” when Elliot (Incredible Mr. E), a deer, clings onto Boog as his new buddy after being saved by him. They eat some chocolate, trash a gas station while on too much sugar, and get busted by the local law enforcement officer, Gordie. One thing leads to another, and Boog gets released into the wild with Elliot only days before Open Season. The story follows their adventure as they try to get back to Boog’s home, but by the end Boog learns the meaning of “bros before does” and that the power of friendship beats all of the luxuries he had back with Elizabeth.
Heartwarming, right? Another classic buddy tale of the early 2000’s. But that summary is not even a fraction of a righteous testament to its glory. The animation: Quirky. The characters: Funny, ridiculous, and unhinged. The humor: Ahead of its time, other than the typical potty jokes that run rampant in most kid movies of our time. There’s probably loads of vocal stims in this movie, enough that there’s likely a few “Unhinged Open Season Moments” compilations running through the back alleys of TikTok and Instagram.
But this is just my opinion. A strong one, considering I grew up with this movie and probably absorbed the entire script deep in my brain, but obviously with the Popcornmeter so low, it’s not a movie for everyone. On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics overview states, “Open Season is a cliched palette of tired jokes and CG animal shenanigans that have been seen multiple times this cinematic year.”
I cannot disagree with this entirely. The CG animal shenanigans? Yes, it is a kids’ movie. And 2006 did feature a lot of other animated films including animals, according to IMDB: “Barnyard,” “Over The Hedge,” “Flushed Away,” “Happy Feet” and “Ice Age: The Meltdown” to name a few. In my opinion, most of these movies aren’t even in the same league as “Open Season,” but I understand the critics had to be tired of yet another 3D animated goofy animal movie being thrown in their face, asking them to laugh at something they’ve probably seen a million times before after being denied a pay raise for what they have to put up with.
But if anything, that just means that this humor works. Boog and Elliot poking fun at each other and their stupidity doing so, the super redneck antagonist and subplot of bathroom anxiety… typical stuff. But the dancing beavers, the ludicrous amount of adult jokes, the overly Scottish squirrels and German wiener dog? I mean, come on. I didn’t see anyone purposefully ram their truck into a deer on the side of a road in “Brother Bear 2,” and “Flushed Away” certainly didn’t entail a scene where the main characters are ripping PG-rated crack and vandalizing a gas station, although that one did have a mafia-like crime organization, so I can’t say much.
The cliched plot and tropes are mentioned throughout many critic reviews of the movie, both good and bad: Variety, the Boston Globe, the Hollywood Reporter the Washington Post—they all had similar thoughts despite their large range from high to low when it comes to their critic scores, according to Meta Critic. Some people enjoy the charm, others are sick of the beauty of simplicity and require more sophistication. I understand both of these sides.
There are a lot of 3D animated films that share similar ridiculous humor. Countless, even, especially in the early 2000’s and 2010’s. It’s honestly just a subgenre of animated movies at this point, ones made to make you laugh, nothing more. Unlike many children’s movies today, there’s no hidden deeper meaning behind it, no secret message they’re trying to convey. The only thing this movie teaches you is how to laugh, and that’s all you can ask for in a children’s movie.
Hayley Doda can be contacted at
hayley@kscequinox.com
