Over the Hedge is based on a popular comic strip that I have not read, but I gather it addresses such subjects as global warming. This computer-animated film is not quite that deep, though it does take on suburban sprawl and waste.

A group of forest animals wakes up after a long winter’s hibernation to find that a giant hedge has been planted between them and what use to be their foraging grounds. Their forest has been bulldozed and replaced with a neat, manicured suburb. Enter RJ (voice of Bruce Willis), an opportunist raccoon on a mission to gather food for Vincent the bear (Nick Nolte) or be eaten himself. When RJ encounters the forest animals, he sees and seizes opportunity. There’s still plenty of food there, he tells them, but it’s now found in shiny cans tossed out by the wasteful humans.

The diverse animal "family" buys his spiel -- except for Verne (Garry Shandling), a crusty old turtle who seems to be their self-appointed leader. There is opposition from the humans, in particular Gladys (Allison Janney), the head of a homeowners’ association who goes out with a ruler to measure the height of everyone’s grass to make sure it is uniform. She calls in Dwayne (Thomas Haden Church), an exterminator known as the "Verminator." RJ must now continue to hide his real motives from his animal followers while outwitting the nasty humans.

Though the overall message is lofty, the action sequences are often slam-bam Tom-and-Jerry stuff. This will probably appeal to younger children more than adults. There are also some jokes for adults that will go right over children’s heads. When asked how many people an SUV can hold, RJ says, "Usually one." And when a skunk, Stella (Wanda Sykes), is in peril, one character does an imitation of Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, screaming out "Stella!" at the camera.

The animation is bright and cheerful, and much of the time looks thoroughly three-dimensional. The characters are lovable and appealing, and those action sequences are enjoyable. These pluses make up for a general lack of narrative pulse. Walt Disney always believed that storytelling came first, but the DreamWorks producers of Over the Hedge seem to fit their story in around the set-pieces.

One curious thing is the inclusion of three songs by Ben Folds, who is emerging as one of our best pop-rock composers. They work for me -- I’m a big Folds fan -- but they might not for everyone.

Over the Hedge is not quite in the league of the animated films from Pixar or Disney, but its appealing characters, dead-on voice characterizations, and zippy animation make it well worth viewing. Be warned, however: There is some turtle nudity, and be sure to watch the credits through to the end.

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