Open Season (2006)
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A domesticated grizzly bear and a one-antlered mule deer must team up to navigate the wilderness and return home before hunting season begins.
The story
In the town of Timberline, a domesticated grizzly bear named Boog lives with his caretaker, Beth, as the star of a nature show. When a hunting fanatic named Shaw arrives with a one-antlered mule deer named Elliot, Boog frees the deer. After a series of mishaps, the town sheriff suggests that Boog's feral instincts are emerging and he should be released into the wild. Two days before open season, Beth relocates Boog and Elliot into the Timberline National Forest. Lacking survival skills, Boog reluctantly takes Elliot as his guide to find their way back home.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Boog, a domesticated grizzly bear, and Elliot, a one-antlered mule deer, are relocated to the Timberline National Forest by Boog's caretaker, Beth, to keep them safe from hunters. While trying to navigate the woods, they encounter various animals, including a squirrel gang led by McSquizzy and a team of beavers led by Reilly. After a series of accidents—including a flood caused by destroying Reilly's dam—the animals are sent into the hunting grounds. Boog initially blames Elliot for getting them lost, but after discovering Elliot lied about knowing the way, they reconcile. They scavenge supplies from a traveling couple and rally the forest animals to defend against hunters. Boog leads a revolution, and McSquizzy blows up the hunters' trucks. In a final showdown, Elliot takes a shot meant for Boog, allowing Boog to tie up the hunter, Shaw. Boog eventually decides to stay in the forest with Beth's blessing.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 86
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jill Culton; Roger Allers
- Writers
- Nat Mauldin · writer; Steve Bencich · writer; Ron J. Friedman · writer
- Cast and characters
- Martin Lawrence · Boog; Ashton Kutcher · Elliot; Debra Messing · Beth; Gary Sinise · Gordy
- Genres
- animated; adventure; comedy
- Themes
- friendship; survival; outcasts
- Tone and mood
- adventure; comedy
- Premise and plot tags
- buddy film; animal hunting; talking animals
- Source material / true-story basis
- comic strip In the Bleachers
- Franchise connections
- Open Season
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $201 million against an $85 million budget.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 49 · scale: 100 · review count: 18
- Awards and nominations
- Annie Awards · Best Animated Feature · nomination; Annie Awards · Best Animated Effects · nomination; Annie Awards · Best Character Design in a Feature Production · nomination; Annie Awards · Best Production Design in a Feature Production · nomination; Annie Awards · Best Storyboarding in a Feature Production · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was Sony Pictures Animation's first CGI-animated film.; The film's location was inspired by the Sawtooth National Forest and various points of interest in Idaho and Colorado.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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