“Bee Movie” (Paramount Pictures)
Too “Seinfeld” For the Little Kids
Jerry Seinfeld is in very aspect of the new animated film “Bee Movie.” He is a co-producer and co-writer of the film, and his voice gives life to the lead bee Barry B. Benson. On some levels all this Seinfeld works, but when it comes to entertaining kids some of the humor is too sarcastic and too high brow for them to appreciate.
The film starts on the day Barry (Seinfeld) graduates from high school. It is now time for him to pick a job at the hive. He is stunned to find that when he makes his choice it will place him in a position he will be doing for the rest of his life. Barry wants a chance to see the world before he settles into this kind of rut.
His parents (Kathy Bates and Barry Levinson) worry and fret that he is never going to find himself. They wish he was more like his best friend Adam (Matthew Broderick) who has no wild thoughts about going outside the hive. But Barry persists and hooks up with some of the pollen gatherers who go out and gather and spread pollen from the flowers in the world.
While in the outside world Barry meets Vanessa (Renee Zellwegger), a human who saves his life. Barry is so appreciative that he actually speaks to her, something bees have been told never to do. Barry and Vanessa become friends and he visits her quite often. It is on one of these visits he learns that humans also manufacture honey, which Barry sees as unfair. Honey belongs to bees and he plans to sue the human honey makers.
It is at this point the movie goes a little over the top as far as kids are concerned. The whole trial thing is not the stuff of animated excitement. Even with John Goodman bellowing as the opposing counsel, and Oprah Winfrey giving voice to the judge; kids would rather see something silly happening on screen.
For an animated film this movie seems to go on for a pretty long time. The plot is much too complicated for the little ones in the audience. The little kids around me were wandering in the aisles and not paying much attention to what was going on up on the screen.
Seinfeld is the big draw for this film. He gives life to Barry through his voice, something Zellwegger doesn’t do for Vanessa. Broderick too is rather bland in his role. Chris Rock adds some zing with his role as a mosquito.
The film is rated PG for some mild adult humor.
Even on television a little “Seinfeld” went a long way which is why the thirty minute format was more appropriate for his humor than a two hour movie. Plus the Seinfeld way was always to be more cerebral than slapstick. Kids need the visual antics more than they need the zesty one liners.
Jerry Seinfeld makes a valid effort to entertain but somehow “Bee Movie” just doesn’t fly.
I scored “Bee Movie” a sticky 4 out of 10.
