The comic strip, created by Michael Fry and T. Lewis, was first published in 1995. The strip's success led to the creation of various merchandise, including books, video games, and a feature film.
Yet Over the Hedge has aged beautifully. In an era of Amazon delivery, food waste scandals, and gated communities, its critique of "taking more than you need" feels more relevant than ever. It’s a film that asks: Is a lawn full of poison and a garage full of junk really a better life than a forest floor full of acorns?
Twenty years later, DreamWorks Over the Hedge remains a sharp, hilarious, and urgent watch. It asks us to look over the hedge—not just at the neighbor's lawn, but at our own consumption. And it does it all with a fart joke involving a bean burrito. That, perhaps, is the greatest trick the raccoon ever pulled.