Chicken Little is essentially Disney’s bid to compete with 3-D standard bearers Pixar (Toy Story 1 & 2, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) and DreamWorks (the Shreks).

“Chicken Little” is precisely that, a nice little trifle that’s too chicken to do anything but play it safe. The moderately cute characters dash through slapstick mayhem more in line with ...