---
title: "Open Season: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/open-season/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/open-season"
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Open Season (2006): what the critics said

Critics' score 51 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative.

The reviews lean towards disappointment, though a minority finds an enjoyable family film beneath the familiar material. Praise centres on visual detail and characterisation: Variety admires the animation’s ability to convey personality, while Time Out finds the characters engaging after an unfunny opening. Even the less enthusiastic Slant Magazine credits the inventive animation and lively pace. Humour earns more qualified approval, with Empire finding the supporting cast responsible for the biggest laughs.

The spread is wide, and even the animation divides critics: Empire calls it awkward, while The Guardian finds it unoriginal. Reservations otherwise cluster around weak writing and relationships that fail to engage. Slant Magazine finds the voice work bland and the drama middling; Eye for Film objects to the flat plot and excessive sentiment. The disagreement is chiefly over whether the visual invention and scattered jokes offer enough compensation for the thin story.

## Variety — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2006. 

Chang finds the film a witty, warmly crafted family fable that should appeal to audiences. He especially praises its first-rate animation and the subtle visual details that convey character.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2006/film/awards/open-season-5-1200513015/)

## Time Out — Derek Adams

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2006. 

The review finds the film an enjoyable surprise despite an unfunny opening. It praises the characterisations in particular.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/open-season-2)

## Screen Daily — John Hazelton

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2006. 

The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is unavailable in the paywalled text. No praise or complaint can be identified from the visible content.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/open-season/4028911.article)

## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager

Rating 2/4. 27 September 2006. 

Schager finds the film forgettable, with bland voice work and middling drama, though its bouncy momentum keeps it from becoming a complete rut. He praises the inventive animation and vibrant visual style, especially the waterfall sequence.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/open-season/)

## The New York Times — A.O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2006. 

The available page does not expose the review’s verdict. Its specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the provided text.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/29/movies/29seas.html)

## Empire — Helen O'Hara

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 October 2006. 

O’Hara finds the film sporadically funny but lacking in laughs and adventure. She singles out the supporting cast for the biggest laughs, while faulting the awkward animation and the leads’ lack of chemistry.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/open-season-review/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 

Bradshaw finds the animation unoriginal, likening it to a dozen recent animated films. He singles out no particular element for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/115032/open.season)

## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2006. 

The review finds the film dull and overburdened with treacly sentiment. It singles out the witless script and flat plot as its main failings, with only McSquizzy’s funny lines earning praise.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/open-season-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/open-season.md