Pixar is no longer what it used to be. It’s not that their movies don’t work or are bad, but they don’t have the same impact they once did. Perhaps it’s due to self-awareness, perhaps it’s because they no longer have the magic they once had, but for years they haven’t been able to create the masterpieces of the past. They can make good or notable movies, but they alternate them with failures that, while never disastrous, no longer make us feel that the Pixar of the past exists.
Now, it seems that things can change. Or at least, they have changed on one occasion. Because now a movie is coming to Disney+ that, although it comes from Pixar, has captivated both critics and audiences and works remarkably in a way that seemed impossible for them: to make a movie for children that also enchants adults, instead of the other way around. That’s why Hoppers has been successful.
A different Pixar, because it is the old one
Directed by Daniel Chong, creator of the series We Are Bears, and written by Jesse Andrews, the film has a very simple premise: Mabel discovers a way to insert her mind into a beaver-shaped robot to infiltrate the animals in her town to find out why they are disappearing. She is concerned about the fact that the mayor of the city wants to end the town’s nature reserve to build a highway, and the animals living there seem to be helping with that.
Although this could very well have served for a story about emotions or environmentalism, as they have been doing for ten years, where the theme would overshadow the story, the charm of Hoppers is that it is an animated film above all. With excellent comic timing, good action scenes, and at times bordering on slapstick, the brilliance of the film is that it does not aim to be, first, a discourse and then a story, but rather tells a story and lets themes emerge from it. Specifically, the importance of caring for nature and animals.
This is something, in fact, that makes the movie more attractive and interesting. With charismatic and hilarious characters, children have something to fall in love with the movie: fun adventures, charming characters, and an ending with a lesson, but not a moral. Something that adults can also enjoy, because it is so well done, so fun and well polished, that there is no reason for adults not to enjoy it along with the little ones at home.
Critics and audience agree
The movie has also performed well on all possible metrics by which it can be measured. With a budget of 150 million dollars, it has grossed 387 million. A figure that may not seem particularly impressive, but it means that it has been more than profitable. Especially considering that it is the highest-grossing animated film in its opening weekend since Coco in 2017.
Similarly, both critics and audiences have received the film with great enthusiasm. With 94% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, an average score of 7.7, and a 73 on Metacritic, it is a film that has been very well received by critics. Considering that the audience has given it an A in CinemaScore, it is undoubtedly one of the most unanimously acclaimed animated films by both critics and audiences in recent times. This makes it more than interesting.
Now, if you’re interested in watching it, or watching it again, Hoppers is available on Disney+. Additionally, its director, Daniel Chong, has confirmed that he is interested in making a sequel. So every streaming view of the movie is one step closer to making that Hoppers 2 happen, if you needed any other excuse to watch it.
