Hop
for some mild rude humor.
Reviewed by: Patty Moliterno
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Average |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
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| Primary Audience: | Kids Family |
| Genre: | Action Kids Family Comedy 3D |
| Length: | 1 hr. 30 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2011 |
| USA Release: |
April 1, 2011 DVD: March 23, 2012 |
Easter Bunny
animals in the Bible
Why do we celebrate Easter? Answer
The story of the resurrection—God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity
Easter—WebBible Encyclopedia
Is Easter mentioned in the Bible? Answer
| Featuring |
Kaley Cuoco—Samantha OHare James Marsden—Fred Russell Brand—Easter Bunny (voice) Hugh Laurie—Hops Father Elizabeth Perkins Chelsea Handler—Mrs. Beck David Hasselhoff—Himself See all » |
| Director | Tim Hill—“Alvin and the Chipmunks,” “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,” “Max Keeble’s Big Move” |
| Producer |
John Cohen—producer Michele Imperato—executive producer Christopher Meledandri—producer |
| Distributor |
If you have seen the preview for HOP, you know that this movie is about Easter and bunnies and chicks. It is also about finding yourself and not following someone else’s dream for you. Plus, the viewer gets to find out really “important” facts about the Easter Bunny. Where does the Easter Bunny live? On Easter Island, of course.
EB (voice of Russell Brand) is the son of the head Easter Bunny (voice of Hugh Laurie). He is young when his father invites him into his workplace to see what he does. EB acts thrilled that someday he will take over for his father. Little boy, Fred O’Hare, sees the Easter Bunny on his front lawn. He gets his camera and runs outside, however, he has missed his shot.
Fast forward 20 years, and EB is poised to take over the family business. However, EB wants to be a drummer and wants nothing to do with being the Easter Bunny. Fred (James Marsden) is now living with his parents and doesn’t have much direction in his life. His family performs an intervention, telling him it is time he grew up, got a job and lived on his own. Fred leaves his parent’s house, but not before his sister Sam (Kaley Cuoco) decides to help him out. She has set up a job interview for him for the following day. She is, also, supposed to house-sit a mansion with dogs, but she asks Fred to stay there for her. While Fred is driving along, he hits EB on the road. EB and Fred help each other to find their way in the world.
David Hasselhoff plays himself, as do The Blind Boys of Alabama (a gospel music group).
negative content
EB sneaks out and runs away from home. While Fred is driving, EB gets hit and is shown laying on the ground. Fred believes the bunny is suffering and picks up a rock to “put it out of its misery.’ There is some rude humor, and EB hits Fred, repeatedly. EB lies repeatedly to many people in the movie. Fred is chased and mauled by 2 dogs. EB poops jelly beans, and, later, Sam eats them. EB goes to the Playboy Mansion and tries to get in, although, nothing is shown besides the Playboy Bunny symbol. The term “hot babe” is used. The phrase, “you have this aura about you” is said.
There is also “magic” associated with flying sleighs, etc.—similar to Santa movies.
Most of the things EB does involve his selfishness—lying, running away, chasing after Fred, and causing Fred to ruin his job interview. However, EB does finally realize that he has been selfish and only thinking of himself.
HOP is about the fantasy secular Easter. We know that this Christian holy-day is really about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but you can use this movie as a springboard to talk to your children about the love of God and how, no matter what we have done, He forgives us. As the prodigal son leaves and is welcomed back when he returns, so the Father welcomes us into His family when we return, ready to claim our inheritance through the death and resurrection of Christ.
This movie is geared for children. It is entertaining in a strange kind of way—imagine Santa Claus on steroids. I was amused, however I went in with very low expectations. My 8 year old son loved it. “Hop” is for young children and anyone looking for light-hearted entertainment.
Violence: Minor / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: Minor
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 3
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
Technically, the film was good. Good graphics, decent performances even from Russell Brand. Still something wasn’t right. The movie wasn’t as good as it could of been. The story needed some work and didn’t live up to it’s predecessor, “Despicable Me.”
The real story of Easter is, of course, Jesus Christ. If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have Easter. No bunny can replace that fact. Overall, a decent film. Not one I would probably rent or buy. If you try to peel back the layers on this egg, you wont find much. Skip it. Go see “Rio” instead.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 1
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
The jokes are mostly clean, however, there are two short scenes when E.B. (and later on, the Pink Berets) go to the Playboy Bunny Mansion. They never enter the mansion, but E.B. mentions something on the lines of “I hear you are looking for sexy bunnies, and I assure you I am a bunny, and I am sexy.” This was the only somewhat inappropriate comment, however, young children will not get it. Also, it is very short and will not affect kids that much.
The movie is about the Easter Bunny, so there is some magical stuff, but it will not be too bad. The movie, for the most part, is clean family fun that ages 5-15 will like! Also, I am sure that adults will laugh at some of the jokes and parts.
I saw the movie for my birthday, and the whole theater was laughing at the jokes. It was fun to dance in your seat to the songs in the movie! I would say, go see this movie, because it will be worth the time and money!
Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: ½
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Moral rating: / Moviemaking quality:
On the other hand, it was all about something called “Easter,” and the “Easter” this film was about bears ABSOLUTELY no resemblance to the Christian holiday of the same name. The Easter Bunny in this film is nothing more than a long-eared version of Santa Claus, who, for reasons left unexplored, travels around the world leaving baskets of candy and other goodies for children (except in countries like China, the reasons for which are also left unexplored).
There is no unholy mixture of Sacred and Secular in this movie, the Sacred is simply ignored completely. There is not even so much as a single hint of the origin of Easter—bunnies, chicks and candy are all there is to it, and danged if anyone in the film knows (or even cares) why.
That being said, the film’s most glaringly obvious weak point is that it is an absolute treasure-trove of ripped-off story lines, ideas and clichés from other movies of this type, most notably those that have elevated Santa Claus to the status of “Holiday Icon” (a phrase actually used in this film).
The sheer predictability of every scene, and of the film in its entirety, made me begin looking at my watch wondering when this would all be over, even while I was appreciating the technical skill that went into the making of the film and being relieved that there was no seriously objectionable content (okay, so the Easter Bunny poops jelly beans—that’s the kind of humor that fourth-grade boys will delight in and only the super-sensitive will find seriously offensive).
In short, “Hop” is itself a chocolate Easter Bunny of a film—beautifully—even gaudily—packaged, very sweet, but with no nutritional value and hollow at its core.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½