Today’s quick review: Barnyard. Otis (Kevin James), an irresponsible cow, wants nothing more than to party and get in trouble while his father Ben (Sam Elliott) takes care of the barnyard animals. But when Ben is killed defending the farm from coyotes, Otis has to grow up and become the leader his father wanted him to be.
Barnyard is a family animated comedy about a farm full of animals who talk, eat, and party whenever the farmer isn’t looking. The story follows Otis as he learns the importance of responsibility when his friends are threatened by coyotes. Barnyard tries to make up for in bravado what it lacks in finesse. Unfortunately, its coarse humor and handful of emotional moments are not enough to offset its mediocre CGI, basic plot, and comedic misses.
Barnyard aims wide with a lot of its humor. The chief source of comedy is the many ways Otis and his friends find to cause trouble around the farm, including dancing in the barn, ordering pizzas, and joyriding in the neighbor’s car. Some of the gags are passable, but most of them are lowbrow humor that tries too hard to be funny. Barnyard also leans too heavily on musical sequences to pad its run time and convey its party atmosphere.
As far as story goes, Barnyard offers only the bare minimum. The basic premise of Otis learning responsibility is fine, but the story is clumsy in the way it plays out. Otis does not have a natural character arc where he gradually grows up. Instead, the movie uses a series of discrete obstacles to force him to grow. The result is an underdeveloped story that has a hard time setting up its emotional payoff.
Barnyard holds some appeal due to its serviceable premise and vivacious style of humor. Younger audiences and fans of mischievous antics may find something to like. But for most viewers, Barnyard will be outclassed by other family comedies with sharper humor, subtler character work, and better artistry. Approach only with caution.
For a more entertaining take on animals’ interactions with humans, try Over the Hedge. For an animated cow adventure with similar issues, try Home on the Range. For a more robust comedy set on a farm, try Chicken Run. For a more unique comedy from the same director, try Kung Pow: Enter the Fist.
[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414853/). I give it a 5.0 for enthusiastic but misplaced humor.