Review: ‘Hoppers’ hops with heart and humor

Pixar hops back into theaters with Hoppers, a colorful sci-fi adventure that proves once again that big ideas can come in small, adorable packages.

The latest animated offering from Pixar proves once again that the studio understands how to craft stories that resonate across generations. While the film occasionally feels a little long, it remains consistently engaging, buoyed by strong storytelling, vibrant animation and thoughtful themes that strike a chord underneath its playful surface.

At the center of the story is Mabel (Piper Curda), a Japanese-American girl who carries emotional scars from childhood. Raised largely by her grandmother — the one steady adult presence in her life — Mabel grows into a passionate yet troubled environmentalist determined to protect a forest glade.

Her love for animals borders on obsession, and this is caused partly by unresolved anger and emotional neglect from her parents. Those childhood wounds fuel her fierce commitment to protect nature, which adds an emotional layer to what might otherwise be a simple animated adventure.

On the surface, Hoppers plays like a colorful sci-fi fantasy about a brave young girl fighting to defend animals and their home. But beneath that simple premise is a story about imperfect families and how childhood shapes the people we become.

The film wisely acknowledges that families are rarely ideal. Mabel’s upbringing by her grandmother runs parallel with other characters who carry baggage, like the beaver George (Bobby Moynihan), who came from a toxic parental relationship. These narrative threads feel honest and relevant, reflecting realities that many viewers — young or old — may recognize.

Pixar’s animation remains as polished as ever. The visual world is lively and expressive, filled with exaggerated, rubbery movements that amplify the humor and emotion of each scene. Particularly charming is the design of the animals, whose tiny bead-like eyes make them irresistibly adorable.

What makes Hoppers particularly effective is its balance in storytelling. Kids can easily follow the film’s basic plot about protecting animals and standing up for what is right. Adults, meanwhile, may appreciate the subtler emotional layers — particularly the themes of neglect, identity and resilience. It’s a film that communicates differently depending on who is watching, yet still works for everyone.

Hoppers, directed by Daniel Chong from Jesse Andrews’ screenplay, also does something refreshing with its central conflict. Many kids’ films lean heavily into the idea that humans are the villains and animals are the innocent victims. Hoppers takes a more balanced view. The world here is not painted in black and white. Humans are not automatically the enemy, and animals aren’t always “innocent “either. That nuance gives the story a welcome sense of realism, even within its fantasy setting.

The humor helps keep the film lively. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, many driven by witty dialogue and delightfully strange comedic beats rather than relying solely on visual gags.

Perhaps, the film’s greatest strength lies in its messages scattered throughout the narrative. Rather than delivering heavy-handed moral lessons, Hoppers drops small nuggets of wisdom along the way. Lines about hope, kindness and second chances gently surface amid the adventure. The story acknowledges that the world can be messy and broken (and that people often are, too), but it insists that compassion and hope remain.

By the time the credits roll, Hoppers leaves viewers with a simple feeling: the urge to be just a little kinder — to people, animals and to the world around them.

4 out of 5 stars

Now showing in cinemas.