Barnyard is a computer-animated film, produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures, that was released on August 4 2006 (October 20, 2006 in the United Kingdom). The film was directed by Steve Oedekerk, who was also the principal scriptwriter, and stars the voices of Kevin James, Courteney Cox Arquette, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Andie MacDowell and Wanda Sykes. The film was rated PG by the MPAA for some mild peril and rude humor. Most of the production was carried out in San Clemente, California. It was distributed in Switzerland, Spain, and Netherlands by Universal Pictures.

This makes it the second Nicktoon to be spun-off from a movie, the first being Jimmy Neutron. Coincidentally, both are computer animated.

Taglines

Have a cow

What happens in the barn stays in the barn

The Original Party Animals

Synopsis

The film starts when the farmer leaves his barnyard and goes into the fields. As soon as the truck is out of sight, all the farm animals stand up on two legs. A cow named Ben, who is the leader of all the animals asks where his son Otis might be. Ben is worried because of all the risky antics Otis performs. Otis and his friends are up top a cliff with a surf board and large ice cube strapped under it. The group attempts to slide down the hill, but pig grabs an apple from a tree. He accidently pulls the tree from the ground, the surf board then goes down the cliff. Going Fast down the Mountain, the Group crashes into an Pumping Station, making them sticky and then smashes threw a Chicken Farm covering them in feathers. Ben calls in a Farm meeting, while talking Otis, Freddy, Pig, Pech, and Pip smash threw the Door, Ben is now more angry at his son more than ever, and he tells him to Grow Up.

That day, Otis meets two new Lady Cows named Daisy (who is pregnant) and Bessy, Both Daisy and Otis are smitten to each other, but Bessy does not like Otis one bit. Later, at Night a big party is held at the Barn. Tonight Otis has a shift with his father, but he ends up talking his dad out of it to go to the Party. Ben allows him to go since it must be very important. While the music beats in the Barn, the Chicken coop is raided by a pack of Coyotes. The red coyote leader, Dag, confronts Ben. Ben is totally out matched against Dag and his pack, but he ends up fighting for his life and the lives of the hens. While taking on the pack, Dag sneaks up from behind and bites ben in the Leg, he falls down and all the Coyotes pill on Ben and rapidly bite and scratch him, Dag walks up to the Chicken coop, but Ben grabs his Leg and threatens to Punch him, but lets him go, as the Coyotes flee, the Chickens cheer but Ben falls foward. Etta, a Hen runs into the Barn to tells Otis, the alarmed son bursts open the Barn door and finds his Father on the ground near death, Ben opens his mouth as to say something but passes on.

The next morning Ben is buried up top a Hill, and all the animals are present, respect, and thank him. Otis who still remains sad to his father's death has been elected the new Leader, but he thinks it's too much pressure and responsibility. The animals elect him because he is a born Party Animal. The farmer enters the Barn and encounters the animals partying and standing on two legs. Miles the Mule kicks him, knocking him out. Otis and his friends try to put the farmer somewhere were he would think that he got hit by something else instead of being kicked by the donkey, like a tree branch (this is repeated a few times before they finally get it right). Later that night, Freddy the Ferret, and his friend, Peck, are set to watch the Chicken coop and Otis heads toward the Hills.

Otis watches as a group of kids "cow-tip" (knocking cows on their back so they cannot get up) and say "That's called cow-tipping, HA HA HA!" a cow in a field, and Otis and three "jersey cows" steal a car nearby and follow the kids to their homes. They trick the fat kid (Snotty Boy) by tipping him off the bed. Otis then yells "That's called boy-tipping, HA HA HA!" the boy screams, and the cows make their escape. On the way home, the cows are caught by the Police, but instead of stopping they speed up, starting a car chase. The Police are filming the chase for the COPS TV series. When Otis finds out, they must escape or the world would realise that cows aren't what they appear to be. Taking a detour, they end up crashing, and make a brake for it. They make there way through the woods stopping in the field on the other side of the forest dropping onto all-fours appearing to be harmless cows to the Police.

Later that night after the car chase, Otis hears the coytotes from Dag's pack. Otis is on the scene and distracts the coyotes allowing the Rabbit they were chasing to escape. Dag tells Otis that he should stay immature, to not bother dealing with him, and that they will capture the Chickens tomorrow night.

Otis annouces to the animals that he is leaving the Barnyard, but before departing, Daisy says that the Coyotes captured some of the Chickens including Maddie, Otise's chick-friend. Otis then leaves to face off Dag alone. At the Junkyard, before eating Maddie, Otis confornts Dag but is easily defeated, due to the larger amount of coyotes in Dag's pack. Pig, Miles, Pip, Freddy, Peck, and "The Jersey Cows" help Otis at his time of need. Most of the Pack is scared away, but Dag attempts to strike at Otis one last time, but he is warned by the Crow made by Peck and he catches Dag, and warns him to never come back, then the red coyote is hit into the air with a Iron.

The team returns to the Barnyard by motorcycle and discover that Daisy is in labor. She gives birth to a Calf, naming it after Ben, in his memory. Otis annouces to the animals that no animal will be harmed inside of the fence surrounding the Barnyard, and all of the animals cheer. At the end of the movie, Otis walks outside and watches the Stars 'dance'.

Main Cast

• Kevin James as Otis the Holstein cow
• Sam Elliott as Ben the Cow
• David Koechner as Dag the Coyote
• Courteney Cox Arquette as Daisy the Cow
• Danny Glover as Miles the Mule
• Jeff Garcia as Pip the Mouse
• Wanda Sykes as Bessy the Cow
• Tino Insana as Pig the Pig
• Dom Irrera as Duke the Sheepdog
• Cam Clarke as Freddy the Ferret
• Rob Paulsen as Peck the Rooster
• Andie MacDowell as Etta the Hen

Characters

Otis is a carefree cow who would rather pull pranks, and party than stand watch and be sure the farm is safe. But when his father is killed he must stop his foolishness and get responsible.

Ben is a cow who was responsible for the barnyard when the Farmer is away. All the time in his later life he tries to teach his son Otis to grow up, but then when he passes away, Otis must do his job. Which would worry him deeply.

Dag is a coyote and the main antagonist of the movie. He and his fellow coyotes killed Ben and captured the Poultry to lead Otis into a trap near the end of the Film.

Daisy is a pregnant cow who moves into the Barnyard. She is Otis's love interest and she gives birth at the end of the film, the father being a random cow at her old farm, naming her baby after Ben.

Miles is a wise old mule that lives in the Barnyard. He along with Pig, Pip, Freddy, and Peck help Otis defeat the Coyote pack.

Pip is a mouse that lives in the Barnyard. He is Otis' best friend known in both the movie and the series. He has a love interest with Bessy.

Bessy is a cow who is pregnant as well. She hates Otis because of his behavior, but then learns to like him in the end.

Pig is a pig who loves to eat 24/7. He is also best pals with Otis.

Duke is a dog who watches over the sheep. In the Video Game he enjoys cue sports like Pool.

Freddy is a ferret who suffers a need of Chicken to eat, But he tries to hide his needs from his best friend Peck.

Peck is a rooster who is friends with Freddy. He gets worried about Freddy at times.

Etta is a hen that mothers all of the other chicks. She and her babies have been captured by the Coyote's and it is up to Otis is rescue her and the children.

The Farmer is the man who runs the Farm. Although when he is gone, the Animals stand on two Legs until he returns. He is Vegetarian.

Snotty Boy is a obese kid who enjoys Cow tipping. But Otis and the Jersey Cows pay him back with a little game called Boy tipping.

The Jersey Cows are group of 3 Cows that have similar behavior just like Otis. Eddy, Bud, and Igg enjoy driving the farmer's truck, shooting milk from their udders, and partying hard.

Mrs. and Mr. Beady are a married couple who live near the Barnyard. Mrs. Beady is alerted when she sees Otis and the Jersey Cows walking on two legs, while Mr. Beady sits, watches TV and does not care about one thing.

Wild Mike is an unknown animal who is kept in a Crate and only let out for Parties. He dances wildly, which to Otise's personality, makes him want to join.

Video Game

A Video Game by THQ and Blue Tongue Entertainment was created based on the film. It is an adventure game which you name your own male/female cow and walk around the Barnyard and Play Minigames, Pull Pranks on Humans, and Ride Bikes, plus Party Hard. The Game is for PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, and Game Boy Advance.

Spin-Off TV Series

In Summer of 2007, a Television Series based on the Movie was released called Back at the Barnyard. Otis's voice was replaced with Chris Hardwick and Daisy does not make her appearance in the Series. Although another Female Cow is shown in each episode. Her name is Abby.

Reception

It grossed $16 million its opening weekend, and made $73 million in its domestic theatrical release. It has made $108 million in its worldwide theatrical release.

The film has a 24% rating at rottentomatoes.com, but has a number of advocates, including Michael Medved, who gave Barnyard four stars (out of four) calling it "hilarious, thrilling" and "flat out one of the year's best films..

"Male cow"

In the real world a male bovine is called a bull or a steer and does not have an udder. However, in this film several characters are "male cows" with an udder, while there is a character who is a bull. The director of the movie told Nick Magazine he did this for fun. This is, however, not the first time cattle have been portrayed in this way. In the United Kingdom, Boddingtons Bitter featured an animated "male cow" in some of its 1990s advertising, and recent computer animated adverts for Anchor butter portray two "male cows" as having udders. Also, the Dairylea adverts in the UK have male cows with udders. A more recent advert portrays that they really are male because they all have male voices.

References