On paper, Hoppers sounds like it’s going to be a one-note environmental story. It even directly references Avatar, which is about as black and white (or blue and white) as environmental movies get. In a bizarre twist, the talking beaver movie has more nuanced characters than James Cameron’s. Early in the film, young animal activist Mabel (Piper Curda) engages in a shouting match with Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm), who seeks to build a highway through a local habitat. Yes, Jerry is greedy, and the animals need someone like Mabel to speak up for them. While it’s clear who we should be siding with, Mabel and Jerry have more in common than they realize. Both scream, but neither will listen. Hoppers is about communication in more ways than one.
Mabel finds a way to directly communicate with the animals she strives to protect, learning of a secret experiment at her university. Dr. Sam (Kathy Najimy) explains that they’ve developed robotic animals that humans can transfer their consciousness into. Mabel thus takes control of a beaver body, infiltrating the forest where things aren’t exactly what she expected. For starters, the animals are ruled over by a king beaver named George (Bobby Moynihan). The animals are totally cool with eating one another, which sounds morbid, although King George’s explanation isn’t much different than Mufasa’s “circle of life” speech.
Mabel uses her newfound position to stage a rebellion against the humans driving the animals off their land. It’s not as straightforward as Jake Sully makes it seem. While George is a peaceful ruler, the other animal monarchs are far more… well, animalistic. The most savage of the bunch is the Insect Queen, voiced by an unhinged Meryl Streep, and her offspring, voiced by an even more unhinged Dave Franco. Up until these two characters showed up, I thought I had an idea of where Hoppers was going. After they’re introduced, though, Hoppers becomes increasingly hilarious, surreal, and unpredictable. Yet, the story doesn’t lose focus.
While Hoppers is pro-environment, Mabel’s actions demonstrate what can happen when you resort to extreme measures. Even good intentions can backfire, making a bad situation far worse. In an age of social unrest, it’s easy to get swept up in the protest against authority. What happens if the protest takes on the form of something more violent, however? Hoppers certainly isn’t against rebellion, but it is a cautionary tale for those who act without considering the consequences. We even find ourselves sympathizing with Jerry, as the animals target him as if he’s Mr. Jones from Animal Farm. Jerry might be a selfish politician, but he isn’t Tsar Nicholas II. There may be a Stalin among the animals, however.
Although this sounds heavy-handed, Hoppers isn’t afraid to go over the top in the comedy department. Director Daniel Chong previously created We Bare Bears. He merges the offbeat humor of a Cartoon Network show with Pixar’s state-of-the-art animation, resulting in the studio’s funniest movie since Turning Red. Hoppers has the heart of a Pixar film as well, taking the time to build genuine character dynamics that have emotional payoffs. The film is also in the spirit of Up, combining silly and poignant moments that strangely don’t feel tonally inconsistent. That’s largely because the characters are so likable and surprisingly well-rounded. Between Hoppers and Sony’s GOAT, 2026 is shaping up to be a promising year for original animated films on the theatrical front. Here’s hoping audiences sink their teeth into Hoppers.