“Barnyard: The Original Party Animals” tells the story of a happy-go-lucky cow named Otis (Kevin James) who would rather spend his time goofing off with his farm friends than taking on responsibility in the footsteps of his father, Ben (Sam Elliot). Ben is the strong and steady leader of the barnyard, running meetings and scheduling patrol shifts to keep the hungry coyotes at bay. His mission in life is to see that while he is alive, no animal be harmed on his farm. Otis thinks that it shouldn’t be his or his father’s responsibility to look after the other animals- he feels everyone should watch out for themselves.

Otis further disappoints his father by defying Ben’s farm rules and playing tricks on the humans who work at the farm. Ben and Miles (Danny Glover), a wise, old mule, think Otis needs to be more discreet about the farm animals human-like qualities. This, however, doesn’t stop Otis and his friends from turning the barn into the party hot spot on a nightly basis after the humans go to bed. One night, it is Otis’ turn to monitor the farm’s perimeter for any signs of the ravenous coyotes. Rather than taking his responsibility in stride, he pleads with his father to take his shift so that he can go perform with his band in the barn. Ben agrees and Otis is off in a hurry to have fun.

While Otis and his friends are enjoying their rocking party, the coyotes sneak into the hen house. Ben comes to the rescue and manages to fend off the pack, but not before he is fatally wounded.
With Ben gone, a new leader must emerge from within the barnyard, but who will it be? Everyone thinks Otis is the logical successor, but Otis wants no part of the job. The guilt of his father’s death weighs heavy on him, and he makes the decision to leave the farm. The coyotes would like nothing more than an unprotected barnyard and when the time is right, they attack. Will Otis take up his father’s cause and defend the farm? It’s up to Otis to find the courage and confidence to lead.

Steve Oedekerk, who has films like “Bruce Almighty,” “The Nutty Professor” and “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” on his resume, is the writer and director of “Barnyard.” The script is witty and fast moving without straying too far from the plot. He is a talented writer who infuses plenty of animal-human humor into the story. His characters are great, and the cast is perfectly suited for their roles.

Andie MacDowell voices Etta the hen- the mother figure on the farm. She is Ben’s dear friend and watches out for Otis and the rest of the gang. Glover, who voices Miles the mule, instills the age and wisdom into his character that comes with being the laid back voice of reason on the farm. Courteney Cox voices Daisy, the new cow on the block. She catches Otis’ eye, and motivates him to do what is right- for the right reasons. Wanda Sykes voices Bessy, Daisy’s wise cracking friend, who eagerly puts Otis in his place at any given moment.

It’s amazing to see how far animated films have come in the last decade or so. From “The Lion King” in 1994 to Pixar’s “Toy Story” in 1995 all the way to this stunning display of animated realism, it won’t be too long before animated films are hard to differentiate from non-animated films. The colors are brilliant and the fluidity of the film is remarkable. One scene in particular features an overcast sky with thunder and lightening in the distant clouds- it’s phenomenal.

It’s great for families, but small children may be frightened by a scene or two involving coyotes. Funny and heartwarming, “Barnyard” is a delightful, animated film that also teaches some important life lessons.

***1/2

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