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Anyway, Open Season is this week's talking-animal cartoon, and the celebrities lending their voices to the characters include Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, and Gary Sinise. It's about a grizzly bear who is turned loose into the wilderness during hunting season, and how a mule tries to help rescue him from the bullets of a wicked hunter.

Frederica Matthewes-Green (Frederica.com, originally published in The National Review) says, "[T]here wasn't any element I could honestly say was enjoyable —nothing that sparked wonder. There was lots of skittering and slamming and noise, and the screen often filled up with images that were just plain ugly."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) calls it "an entertaining addition to what has already been a banner year for pixilated pleasures. And while not matching Pixar's best, it can be enjoyed by all but the very youngest viewers. … [T]he film is a bit thin plotwise and padded with slapstick, but its playful tone and amiable message about friendship make it good family fun."

Marcus Yoars (Plugged In) says he doesn't blame the filmmakers for turning in something that seems familiar. "The genre is getting more and more competitive, and often, rising to the top means delivering the most laughs per minute with the slickest animation possible. So by those credentials, this cool-looking kiddie-oriented creation earns solid marks." But then he finds fault with "potty humor, surprising language issues and a whole lotta played-for-laughs-but-awkwardly-realistic violence."

Lisa Rice (Crosswalk) says, "Open Season is a fun story with solid character development. … The animation is amazing. … Overall, this skillfully made, high-budget drama/comedy will very likely clean up at the box office as it entertains the masses this fall season."

Mainstream reviews are mixed.

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