- “Dwayne LaFontant is here!”
- ―Dwayne.[src]
Dwayne LaFontant, also known as the Verminator, is an employee of an animal extermination company and the secondary antagonist in the DreamWorks film, Over the Hedge.
Background[]
Not much is known about Dwayne's life prior to the events in Over The Hedge. What is revealed however is that he graduated from an exterminator school, and that he has been in the business for a couple of years, as demonstrated by his experience in the field during the film.
It is furthermore also revealed that Dwayne, at some point during his life, suffered an injury in his back while dancing, which has left him slightly crippled.
Personality[]
Dwayne is intelligent and serious about his job. He doesn't tolerate animals that get in his way. Dwayne seems to have a crush on Gladys, whom he humorously refers to as "Nancy" to stop her nagging him as he goes about his ways as an exterminator.
Physical Appearance[]
Dwayne's appearance might be similar to Wayne Knight.
Role in the film[]
Dwayne is hired Gladys as her henchman to exterminate the animals before they get injured.
One day, Dwayne arrived and tried to kill Ozzie (who had faked dying), but the opossum fled into the hedge. Dwayne then smells Verne (whom he calls "Reptile") and bends over to capture Verne (who was under a car), but Verne already escaped back into the hedge to meet up with the other animals. He installs a high-powered extermination system in Gladys' backyard, figuring she would insist on wanting it.
Later, when Gladys catches the animals in her house, Dwayne arrives and is able to capture the animals except RJ, who left to return the food to Vincent. Dwayne mockingly tells Verne he has just been "verminated". When RJ sees Dwayne driving away with RJ's caged friends, the raccoon has a change of heart at the last moment and decides to go save them. The impact knocks Dwayne out and frees the other animals, who turn the van around to go back home. Meanwhile, RJ is chased by Vincent atop the van. Verne eventually manages to convince the other animals that RJ is trying to help them and they all turn to help RJ defend himself from Vincent. With no control, Dwayne's van eventually makes a jump and flies through Gladys' house. As Dwayne regains consciousness, RJ and the others flee into the hedge, with Vincent on one side trying to claw them and Gladys (who uses a weed hacker) and Dwayne (who uses a cattle prod to shock the animals) on the other. RJ and Verne then get an idea and have Hammy drink some soda and he makes the whole world freeze. After that, Hammy walks into Gladys' backyard, activates the Depelter Turbo, and then gets an idea and puts a little garden gnome behind Dwayne's foot. RJ, borrowing Verne's shell, uses himself as bait to lure Vincent into Gladys' backyard. Vincent, Gladys, and Dwayne fall into a pile as the Depelter Turbo comes on-line (due to them falling into the lasers), stinging them all.
Gladys and Dwayne are arrested for illegal traps. While Gladys fights the cops and gets beaten up, Dwayne quietly escapes and climbs over a fence, only to be bitten on the leg (presumably) by Nugent after stepping on one of the rottweiler's squeaky toys.
Video Games[]
Over the Hedge: The Video Game[]
Dwayne LaFontant returns as the main antagonist of the video game sequel.
One year after the events of the movie, when the Hedgies have made it routine for them to steal food from the humans of El Rancho Camelot, Dwayne returns with the intent of ridding the suburbs of the Hedgies once and for all.
In addition to placing traps all around the suburbs, he also brings with him an army of brainwashed animals controlled with mind-control caps, which he's programmed to make them attack the Hedgies.
Over the course of the game, Dwayne attempts to stop the animals from stealing food, only for his traps to fail when the animals fight back using whatever weapons they have at their disposal, including golf clubs, hockey sticks, and shovels among other things.
Dwayne's war with the Hedgies ultimately comes to a head, however, when Dwayne kidnaps Heather the Opossum to make her part of his brainwashed animal army, leading to RJ, Verne, Hammy, and Stella attacking VermTech headquarters and destroying the capping controller, freeing all the brainwashed animals from Dwayne's control and setting the building on fire.
As the animals escape with Heather in tow, Dwayne vows to take his revenge on the Hedgies someday after escaping the burning building.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Throughout most of the film, Dwayne appears to have somewhat of a crush on Gladys, despite her not returning the sentiment.
- Dwayne is called "The Sniffer" by the animals as he has the ability to sense what species an animal is.
- His voice and mannerisms are similar to John Wayne.
[]
v - e - d | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|