Hoodwinked: Critic Reviews

Hoodwinked's most radical feature is that it's a ride without heroes -- unless, that is, you count the filmmakers, who could end up doing for independent animation what Soderbergh and Tarantino did for indie film.

Little Red Riding Hood gets deconstructed in this sub-Shrek bummer, the latest collaboration between computers and cynicism.

It's more than a little contrived, but Warburton's Wolf has a worldly, hard-bitten charm.

Why would a distributor suddenly yank an animated family film from its intended wide December opening until mid-January? Could it be that the advance word of mouth wasn't very good-winked?

As marketing theory, Hoodwinked makes a little sense. Too bad, then, it's so crummy.

It takes place in a fantasy world whose cheaply rendered surfaces resemble Teletubbieland reupholstered with Naugahyde.

Finally, a Rashomon for the whole family. This cartoon version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' tells and retells its story from a variety of perspectives, all of them boring.

Features lackluster character design, so-so animation and only fitful bursts of cleverness.

Feels as warmed over as day-old muffins in Little Red Riding Hood's basket.

It doesn't rival the artistry of Pixar or DreamWorks, but it's got an upstart charm, a clever premise, appealing characters voiced by a terrific cast and a script that should make you laugh out loud more than once.

Does exactly what a police procedural should: keeps us guessing.

Hoodwinked -- which is the latest cartoon recycling of that oft-told fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood -- may be a bit scrappy-looking, but it's also pretty funny at times.

Hoodwinked may be a poor cousin to the Shrek franchise, but this made-on-the-cheap computer-animated feature still has more style and snarky gags than Disney's recent CG hit, Chicken Little.

The visuals are passable. The story's a lot of fun. And the story is what sells the movie.

This animated tale about 'what really happened' among the Wolf, Grandma, Red and the Woodsman doesn't excel in any department, from unspectacular computer animation to routine voice talent.

A fast-paced, fitfully clever 3-D-animated feature that will entertain tykes but provide scant novelty for auds who've had their fill of revisionist fairy tale gags and postmodern 'tude from the Shrek franchise.

While it doesn't exactly break new ground, the movie is fast-paced and delivers lots of laughs aimed at both kids and adults, as well as some lively Looney Tunes-style action.

Even though it's basically a 10-minute short puffed up to fill 80 minutes, Hoodwinked has laughs and plenty of them.

A warped, but mildly amusing twist on the childhood favourite.

Feels uncannily like a too-chipper children's computer game that has somehow become unlinked from its best feature, the interactive menu.

The production contains enough positive elements to make it worth a look, but not until it reaches DVD or TV. As a theatrical offering, it disappoints.

[The film] gets hopelessly lost in the woods.

Hoodwinked is an irreverent, hard-edged retelling of Little Red Riding Hood -- a high-energy, imaginative entertainment aimed at younger audiences.

Despite its occasionally unfinished feel, Hoodwinked will probably keep everyone (adults and kids) entertained for its very brief running time.

Simply not worth the effort or expense of a family night out at the movies.