Hoppers

Positive—To be honest with you guys, I know Pixar left such a profound legacy on the art of both animation and film. But these days, with other companies seeking to push the boundaries of animation in the Western world, and with Disney constantly choosing to play it safe, even as the need to evolve grows bigger by the year, I’m afraid Pixar might not ever be back on top like it used to.

With that said, Hoppers was one of the most fun animated movies I’ve seen in a while. It may not have the stylized animation of GOAT or the heartfelt story of The Wild Robot. But Hoppers offers up a creative premise and pairs it with some nice-looking animation and humor that is completely on point. I liked the characters, I like the plot, I like its heart, and I like the message it sends. I especially like the third act, which is so balls to the wall and deliciously insane that it needs to be seen firsthand to get the full effect. It’s not Pixar’s best, per se, but that’s only because the bar has been set incredibly high with them. With Hoppers, I was just looking for, essentially, a cartoon with a delightful energy to it. And I got what I wanted and more.

Christianity-wise, the film’s main theme is environmentalism. We know the story: a small, animal-lover wants to stop the big, bad corporate guy from taking over nature for capitalistic gain. This is a topic a lot of Christians are sensitive on, and not just for political reasons. Sometimes, these tree-lovers comes from a place of worshiping nature instead of the One True God. Thankfully, Hoppers doesn’t go down that route. Instead, Mabel’s passion for nature comes from her finding peace in the beauty of it that her grandmother taught her to see. And while the film does side more with Mabel than the mayor, Jerry, I do appreciate how it points out that passionately advocating for something will only cause trouble if we don’t seek to understand each other and work together for a solution, even if we ultimately disagree. That’s a message we could honestly use more of, especially in this day and age where people are pitted against each other by algorithms and politics.

Content-wise, Hoppers is relatively mild. The only sexual content is a brief quip about two deer being in the same den. The only instance of language I found was: “flock around and find out.”

Now, about that last third, I’m not going to date spoil it for you. But what I will say is, it definitely raises the film to a PG rating. And you wouldn’t see it coming from how the first part of the movie plays out. For parents with kids, just know that it involves some freakish body and mechanical horror and the threat of death. It’s not as boundary-pushing as say, Coraline, and the film is aware of just how out of left field the story goes and uses that as a source of humor, providing some levity. But I’d encourage parental discretion with very small and/or sensitive children.

For everyone else, though, Hoppers is a great time and the kind of film Pixar needs. It’s not as strong in heart as the studio’s earlier efforts, but it harkens back to the days when it’s animation was creative and pretty and it’s comedy worked as often as it did. It’s just bonkers enough to make it stick out in Pixar’s lineup and even the lineup of competing films out right now, while also not losing its sense of emotion and dignity. I highly enjoyed this and I think for kids 7 and up, it’s one of cleaner options out there (assuming you haven’t seen GOAT yet, or Project Hail Mary is too advanced for your younglings).

If you have any 3D options available, it’s preferred, though not entirely necessary. The animation is colorful and the environments are so distinct they stick out even in 2D. But the 3D does give them mesmerizing depth along with bonus pop outs including sticks, trees, animals, and more. When the insect queen flies in front of Mabel intimidatingly, you will feel it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4

“Hoppers” is Pixar at its best, a story with warmth, humor, exciting action, endearing characters, and a reassuringly expansive notion of community. …At its very big heart, the film is about empathy for others… explored with a deep understanding of Grandmother’s wisdom, letting us all see that more is accomplished when “we” means all of us are a part of something big.

Pixar’s funniest film in years is an instant classic and so cute i could scream… Audacious, heartfelt, and uproariously funny, Hoppers has all the makings of an instant classic for Pixar. …

…Hoppers’ isn’t just James Cameron’s “Avatar” if it had feelings, it’s also James Cameron’s “Avatar” if it was good. …It’s smart, it’s wacky, it’s morally complex, and we need more films like it. Not just great Pixar movies, but great Pixar movies that playfully trash what Disney is doing elsewhere.

…this animated gem is funny and fierce in all the right places. Pixar is back, baby. …[3/4]

…Clever, funny and visually appealing, Daniel Chong’s nutty action comedy zips along, driven by rambunctious energy and a spirited Mark Mothersbaugh score. Its tenacious protagonist is flanked by a cast of amusingly anthropomorphized creatures that will thrill the core audience of kids while keeping the grownups entertained. …