DVD review (region 1)
Directed by Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith
Starring the voices of Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Patrick Warburton
Release date Out now

A humble bee named Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) breaks the most important bee rule: "Never talk to a human". He is amazed to discover that humans have been swiping honey for centuries and launches legal proceedings for compensation...

Co-written and co-produced by Jerry Seinfeld, as well as featuring the voice of the man himself, Bee Movie is an amiable comedy that contains enough laughs to keep adults and kids amused, but is unlikely to stick in the memory after the final credits have ended.

The film moves at a brisk pace that never flags. Indeed, the final third perhaps packs in a little too much incident and as a result ends up feeling rather rushed. Seinfeld’s laid-back style of wit works best in the slower, more considered sequences such as Barry’s hilarious interactions with Renee Zellweger’s charming florist.

Although the animation is excellent, it does feel a little samey when compared to films such as Shrek and pretty much all of Pixar’s output. Unlike traditional animation, there seems to be little difference in the look of each CG movie, and you do long for a slightly more individual aesthetic.

The DVD boasts some great extras, hosted by Seinfeld himself. These include a surprisingly addictive game and a fun, exhaustive array of ‘Making of’ material. Jonathan Wilkins

VERDICT: 6/10
Fun while it lasts, Bee Movie lacks that killer sting.