Film Review: ‘Hoppers’ is a Gloriously Zany Return to Old-School Fun Form for Pixar

Pixar built its legacy on original animated fare that delighted both children and adults in equal measure. At a certain point, sequels to their most popular hits (both critically acclaimed, like the Toy Story franchise, and just profitable, like Cars) became a surprising focus. Eventually, that started to dim their creative juices a tad. They were still putting out films that worked and were enjoyable, sure, but what made Pixar special seemed to be in shorter supply. Well, Hoppers is here to suggest an earlier, simpler time. This movie is creative, fun, and rather deranged, making for an original triumph for the animation giant. They haven’t been this purely enjoyable in some time. I went in with no expectations and left having had a blast.

Hoppers is an old-school original return to form for Pixar. Mixing adventure, comedy, and earned emotions, the craziness of the story works well with the feels you end up having. There’s a soft touch to the heavier stuff that pairs with the rather zany nature of the premise, as well as the sillier details. In lesser hands, it could have felt like tonal overload, leading to a messy feeling. Instead, it harkens back to what the animation house used to do so well. The flick wins you over early and never really lets you go.

Mabel Tanaka (voice of Piper Curda) loves animals, to the point where, as a little kid, she was frequently busted for trying to break the school pets out. Her anger at the people of Beaverton for treating animals like this is only calmed by her grandmother (voice of Karen Huie), who brings her to a glade near her home. There, she learns to let go of this fury and listen to nature. It’s a tool that unlocks a peacefulness in her, as well as a purpose. As a college student, Mabel has lost her grandmother, but still has the glade, which she’s now defending from the construction of a beltway, spearheaded by her constant antagonist, Mayor Jerry Generazzo (voice of Jon Hamm). Animals have left the glade and pond within, suggesting doom for it, unless Mabel can do something about it.

When she realizes that her Beaverton University biology professor Dr. Sam (voice of Kathy Najimy) has been experimenting with lifelike robots of animals, which humans control via a mind-link, Mabel springs into action. The process, dubbed Hopping, puts her into a beaver robot, and on to a mission to find a beaver to dam up the pond. Shortly after entering the animal kingdom, she breaks “pond rules” by preventing hungry bear Ellen (voice of Melissa Villaseñor) from eating sleepy beaver Loaf (voice of Eduardo Franco), which in turn leads to her meeting the beaver leader, King George (voice of Bobby Moynihan). A friendly ruler, he befriends her, as do the other animals, not knowing that she’s a human in a robotic masquerade.

The more time Mabel spends with them, the more a bond grows, while leading them in a revolt against Jerry. When they find out what his plan actually entails, they seek an audience with the royal council of wildlife. That doesn’t go according to plan, spiraling out of control, and leading to a wacky third act that I’d dare not spoil. However, it’s big, up to and including a shark named Diane (voice of Vanessa Bayer) being used as essentially a missile.

Piper Curda does nice work in the lead, while Jon Hamm is having the time of his life. The other voices are largely comedians, which helps give all of the critters some extra personality, especially Bobby Moynihan, who has a purity to George that’s actually heartwarming. In addition to the aforementioned voices, there’s room for Dave Franco, Ego Nwodim, Steve Purcell, Sam Richardson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and even Meryl Streep. They all combine to make Hoppers the ridiculous good time that it is.

Daniel Chong directs a screenplay by Jesse Andrews (Chong gets a Story By credit), with both really leaning into the fun of the premise. The film is rife with imagination, enjoying its sci-fi swings, while looking as gorgeous as all modern Pixar flicks do. The score by Mark Mothersbaugh is peppy, while Andrews and Chong seem to be delighting in how big they can make their set-pieces. Of course, it all comes back to a love of animals, nature, and respecting the balance of it all vis-à-vis humans. What could have been preachy instead in Hoppers just feels like common sense.

Hoppers rules. This is what we had grown to expect from Pixar, and while they’ve never really had a misfire, the kind of imaginative blast that this is has become less and less prevalent. So, to have the animation house back like this is not just a creative triumph, but a good sign for what’s still to come from them. More original larks like this, please and thank you!

SCORE: ★★★1/2