HOODWINKED

2005, Kanbar Animation

Animation

Rating: PG

Approx. 80 mins.

THE STORY: 

Street savvy Little Red Riding Hood (Anne Hathaway), better known as Red, works for her Granny's (Glen Close) bakery delivering cookies to creatures throughout the story-book forest. Everyone is on full-alert as someone has been stealing the recipes from the various bakeries in the village. Along her trip, she is shadowed by the shady Wolf (Partick Warburton). When she arrives at Granny's house, she finds Granny tied up in the closet, Wolf in the bed, and an excitable woodsman (James Belushi) on site. 

The police are called and an investigation begins under the supervision of detective Nicky Flipper (David Ogden Stiers). Each character is interrogated and tells the same story from their own perspective, filling in and interpreting gaps to create a rounded picture that ultimately reveals who has been stealing the recipes.   

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

•  None

VIOLENCE:

• Nothing notable

TEACHING POINTS:

• Try to look at situations you think you understand from a different perspective 

THE UPSHOT:

I like the Rashomon-style approach, the fact that it takes a story we all think we know and turns it on its head to make us question our own perspectives. It's definitely a clever movie. It's also very fast-paced and fast-talking. And that, in part, makes it inaccessible for younger kids. The references and ironic twists are a bit complex, as is much of the humour. 

I also found the first half a lot more enjoyable than the second. maybe the novelty had worn off? The story got more outrageous? The culprit became too obvious? There was less of a film noir flavour? Not quite sure why.

As an adult movie, it's entertaining. As a kids' movie, it falls a bit flat.

2.5/5