Furry Vengeance (2010)

Rated: PG for some rude humor, mild language and brief smoking.
Length: 92 minutes
Grade: B+B+CF=B
Budget: $35 million
Box Office: $38 million (18 U.S., 15 Intl., 5 DVD)

Written by: Michael Carnes & Josh Gilbert (Mr. Woodcock)
Directed by: Roger Kumble (Cruel Intentions 1+2, Just Friends, College Road Trip)
Starring: Brendan Fraser and Brooke Shields
With: Matt Prokop, Ken Jeong, Angela Kinsey, Skyler Samuels, and Wallace Shawn

Summary:

When the supervisor of a forest construction development realizes his company is eco-unfriendly, he must decide whether to side with his job or with the animals who have so ferociously attacked him.

Entertainment Value: B+

First and most importantly, this is a kids movie! Calling it slapstick is almost too mild a description. In reality, this is a live action cartoon a la Merrie Melodies and Looney Toons. As such, it’s very funny. My kids loved it and laughed pretty continuously. The plot is mostly a pretext for physical gags. Judged by any other standard and this would be terrible. Judged as a clean source of comedy and it works just fine.

Superficial Content: B+

Drugs/Alcohol A, Sex/Nudity A-, Violence B, Language A

A couple of the gags involve gender-crossing (a man mistakenly wearing a bra or, later, a woman’s sweatsuit). Language and drugs are squeaky clean. The main issue, such as it is, will be all the slapstick violence such as being overturned in a porta-potty, skunk attacks, dive-bombings by birds, and a wide variety of physical humor gags. One exception is that the very opening scene of the movie culminates in a man being forced off a cliff by animals to his death in a car. Because of that scene, it probably can’t be G, but I’d still almost give it one, quite frankly.

Significant Content: C

It’s important for dads to balance the interests of their careers and their families. Although it’s easy to go along with gradual bad decisions, you have to eventually stand up and do what’s right. Animals are people, too. Companies that make a big show of being green can sometimes be the biggest eco-hypocrites.

Artistic/Thought Value: F

Not so much.

Discussion Questions:
~This movie shows how a decent guy can get involved in doing basically bad things. What was the progression for Dan? How can we avoid letting this happen to us?
~What do you think of the idea that animals should be considered like people? Do animals care for their young as we do? What sort of moral obligations do we have to animals?
~How important is it to conserve green spaces like forests?
~Tyler is sarcastic and disrespectful to his dad. Does his father deserve this attitude based on his choices?
~Nobody wants to take Dan’s claims of animal terrorism seriously until they must. Have you ever felt like people didn’t take you seriously about something happening to you?
~Why is it so important to make decisions as a family? How does this fit with democracy? Are there ever times when a man must make an unpopular decision? What’s the right way to handle this? In this particular case, what should Dan have done differently?

Poignant or memorable scenes:
~The crow.
~The skunks.
~Dive-bombing the festival.

Overall Grade: B

It’s an entertaining and harmless eco-propaganda cartoon that most kids will enjoy.