Film Review: 'Alpha and Omega' - Warm and Very Fuzzy Kids' RomCom

Boy grows up with girl, both from the same world, but different parts of it. He's been crushin' on her for a long time, but she's promised to another and he's well, not the son-in-law her parents had in mind.  Then a series of circumstances brings them together.  That's the premise of Alpha and Omega, a new animated film - yeah, in 3-D from Crest Animaton and LIonsgate.  

The movie is pretty much a romantic comedy for the younger set, though older folks, in say, their teens and up will enjoy it as well. And the couple mentioned? They're wolves.
HIs name's Humphrey and her names' Kate Yes, like Bogart and Hepburn. And while this film's no animated African Queen, it's still quite cute and engaging.  Humphrey's an Omega wolf, happy-go-lucky, no responsible for pack stuff, horses around with the other Omega boy wolves. Kate's an alpha, like her parents, finding food, looking out for the pack. Her father strikes a deal with the leader of another pack to bring both together. But then, humans capture our star-crossed pair and whisk them away elsewhere for....well, let's not spoil the tale. Let's just say it's a little adventure with a budding romance and some wolf snarl action. 

Of course, Kate can't quite comprehend Humphrey's fun-first attitude and much as he adores her, she's all business. At least, in the beginning of their journey back home to the Canadian national park they call home (Jasper). 
While Justin Long (Going the Distance) and Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) settle in for the bickering and cooing nicely, Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon films) and the late Dennis Hopper in his final role, almost steal the movie as troubled fathers and pack leaders Winston and Tony and pack leaders.  

Meanwhile there's a sweet little subplot watching Kate's intended, Garth (Chris Carmack), bond with her little Omega wolf sister,  Lilly (Christina Ricci). Plus extra comedy relief comes from two somewhat helpful birds, French and English, the former also a...golfer. Sure, why not? 
The 3-D effects are more gimmicky than needed, but don't detract from the film.  True Alpha and Omega will never go down as classic animation and it certainly no Toy Story 3 (one of this year's best films, animated or otherwise) but it doesn't pander to kids and that's a good thing. The humor is slapstick at times, but no more than some so-called adult comedy. There's mild animal violence, so its rated PG. Plus if you're a sucker for wolves -like this reviewer and his 8-year-old co-reviewer- this one's distracting fun and a good weekend family movie, with kids still not quite settled into being back to school.