For a studio synonymous with box-office dominance, even a modest stumble can feel catastrophic. In the wake of Elio’s surprisingly muted theatrical run, Pixar Animation Studios returns with Hoppers, a film that feels like a reminder of what made audiences fall in love with the brand in the first place.
With Hoppers, Pixar delivers a wildly funny, visually dazzling and deeply optimistic adventure that stands among the studio’s most original outputs since Inside Out. Directed by Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears: The Movie) and written by Jesse Andrews (Luca), the film blends science fiction, political satire and heartfelt drama into something that feels daringly new.
Mabel Tanaka, a passionate 19-year-old environmentalist (voiced by Disney channel star Piper Curda), is devastated when her town’s smarmy mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm), reveals plans for a new motorway. This project threatens to pave over her beloved forest glade, destroying the heart of her idyllic community. Desperate to prove the ecosystem is still thriving, she hijacks an experimental device created by her inventive biology professor, Dr Samantha “Sam” Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), and transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver.
Mistaken for a real beaver, Mabel is swept into the politics of mammals and their insecure but endearing King George (Bobby Moynihan). As tensions escalate, the Animal Council, led by the regal Insect Queen (Meryl Streep) and later her volatile son Titus (Dave Franco, at his petulant best), spirals into chaos.
Elsewherre, Eduardo Franco voices the lovable Loaf, a a slow yet staunch beaver, while Melissa Villaseñor shines as the perpetually grumpy bear Ellen, Vanessa Bayer as shark assassin Diane, and Isiah Whitlock Jr., Ego Nwodim, and Steve Purcell as various members of the delightfully absurd animal monarchy.
This may be Pixar’s sharpest script in years. The jokes range from blink-and-you’ll-miss-it visual gags, to escalating political farce, yet the humour never feels cynical or overdone. Instead, it fuels the film’s jubilant tone throughout. Even as plots involving assassination attempts, robotic doubles and runaway wildfires unfold, Hoppers manages to maintains a sense of playful wonder.
The animation is breathtaking. The glade feels tactile and alive, from the shimmer of river water to the intricately layered fur of its inhabitants. The robotic beaver design cleverly merges metallic detail with expressive eyes and body language, allowing animators to mine both slapstick and subtle emotion. A climactic wildfire sequence is staged with astonishing scale and clarity.
Beneath the absurdity lies a sincere belief in dialogue, growth, and cooperation. Mabel’s journey from hotheaded activist to levelheaded leader plays out like the perfect message for young and old. This is a film that believes change is possible.
Wildly inventive, visually stunning, and laugh-out-loud hilarious, Hoppers is not just a return to form; it’s Pixar at full creative power. I cannot wait to watch it again and again.
