(2006) The story of Little Red Riding Hood has been re-imagined and computer-animated into a clever, action comedy (full of puns and allusions) by the team of writers/directors Cory Edwards, Tony Leech, and Todd Edwards with songs (most composed by and some performed by Todd Edwards).

Inside the home of Granny Puckett (voiced by Glenn Close), Police Chief Grizzly (voiced by Xzibit) has four suspects, one of whom may be the Goody Bandit, the culprit responsible for stealing recipes and ruining businesses throughout the forest. "Shouldn't you be in school?" asks Grizzly of Red (voiced by Anne Hathaway), who replies insolently: "Shouldn't I have a lawyer?"

On cue Nicky Flippers (voiced by David Ogden Stiers), an amphibious detective, operating in the style of Nick Charles, appears, certain that someone in the room will spill the beans.

First, Red, telling her version of the day's events, admits to having taken Granny's recipe book from the family vault to protect it from the Bandit (rock with message: "You're next"), hiding it inside her basket. As she made her way to Granny's house atop the mountain by cable car - accompanied by Boingo the bunny (voiced by Andy Dick) - she fell out of the tram to the forest floor where she encountered the Wolf (voiced by Patrick Warburton), who demanded she hand over her basket. Eluding the Wolf with her karate kicks, she was taken around the mountain in a coal-mining tub car by Japeth the singing goat (voiced by Benjy Gaither).

Next, the Wolf ("talk about profiling") reveals he's actually an investigative journalist ("Food is dangerous") who's been on the trail of the Bandit. Suspecting Red the delivery girl - "Who does she move the goodies for?" - he disguised himself as Granny to catch her red caped. When he arrived ahead of Red, he found Granny already tied up in the closet. His photographer assistant Twitchy the squirrel (voiced by Cory Edwards) produces photos to support the Wolf's story.

Third, Kirk Kirkendal the axman (voiced by James Belushi) explains how he's an aspiring actor and was rehearsing for an audition call-back for promoting Paul's Bunion Cream when an accident hurled him through Granny's window. His own schnitzel truck had been robbed of everything by the Bandit.

Finally, Granny confesses to a life of "secrets and deception": "I'm not like other grannies. I never did like the quilting bees and the bingo parlors. I'd rather live life to the extreme." She relates how she's known as "Triple G" in the Xtreme Sports Competition.

Unfortunately, the film descends into the usual, mindless Xtreme violence. Among the Bandit's thugs is Dolph (voiced by Tye Edwards), looking and sounding like Arnold Schwarzenegger. A pair of cops, Tommy and Timmy, are twin pigs. Tony Leech also voices Glen while Todd Edwards voices the sandwich man. My favorite song of the soundtrack, "Red Is Blue," was performed by Ben Folds.

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Copyright © 2010 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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