Did you guys see Elio? How about Elemental? I know we all saw Inside Out 2, I mean, how else does it become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, but did y’all check out Lightyear? No? Me neither. Unfortunately, Pixar has lost its vice grip on me as a consumer through a mixture of unappetizing sequels and the amount of grey hairs I’m starting to grow in my beard. This is not to say their output has been disappointing (Turning Red, Soul, and Coco will be remembered as classics) but, as stated earlier, the last Pixar animated film that I saw in the theatres (Besides Inside Out 2, which was fine) was probably Onward, a film we all completely forgot about due to “historical events”. I’d say the bar was low, all this to say, Hoppers, the latest animated film from Disney and Pixar, was… alright. 

Directed and co-written by We Bare Bears writer/creator Daniel Chong (Jesse Andrews takes up the other half of that writing co-credit), Hoppers tells the story of a young, nature-loving teen, Mabel (Piper Curda), who transfers her consciousness into a mechanical beaver to save a small piece of wilderness from being made into a highway. “It’s like Avatar!” actual quote from the film. Mabel must make allies with the local wildlife in order to stop the city’s Mayor (Jon Hamm) before they lose their homes. Now, is this the most unique premise for an animated film? Nahhh. Where this film does stand out is in its comedic execution, via the very talented cast of voice actors, and art style, which heightens its playfully chaotic energy. 

Hoppers’ cast features an interesting mix of talented performers, including the likes of numerous SNL alumni such as Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor, Vanessa Bayer, and Bobby Moynihan, as well as other well-known actors like Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Sam Richardson, Eduardo Franco, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. My personal highlight has to be Demetri Martin as “Birds”, who might be the perfect person to encapsulate the mindless chatter of an entire flock of birds. Piper Curda’s performance as Mabel feels right at home alongside other Pixar protagonists, with her character being this plucky goofball who can’t help but carelessly dive headfirst into any situation. Moynihan is given the role of comedic sidekick through King George, a beaver king who leads the recently displaced population of various woodland critters. This character has been done numerous times in previous animated films, but Moynihan’s performance is just so gosh darn cheerful and optimistic that he gets a pass. Lastly, I won’t go into any details here, but Dave Franco brings a pretty enjoyable last-second villain performance in the final third of the film, which deserves a shout-out. The ensemble of Hoppers is the best part of the film. Each member of the cast hits hard, bringing their specific type of comedic energy to their role. Like I said, Demetri Martin as “Birds”. You will laugh.   

The performances are also enhanced through the very squishy-looking animation style of the film, which has been the look for Pixar films over the last decade. This look allows for characters to be very expressive in their body language as well as their facial expressions. One small detail that I adored was the fact that animals only had facial expressions when they were perceived by characters who could literally understand them. The animation style has been hit or miss for me, but I found it very effective when used on animals. All the critters just looked adorable when they weren’t eating each other (which happens way more often than you’d think). The animation style is also very fluid and snappy, allowing for the action and comedy to be quick and exciting while never being too hectic.  Also, there’s nowhere else to really say this, and I lack any creative nuance to explain it any other way. Hoppers is funny. Genuinely got a lot of laughs out of me. Nothing made me pee my pants, but I chuckled, dare I say even laughed out loud. Like I said, Demetri Martin as “Birds” You will laugh. 

Unfortunately, that’s all I really have to say about Hoppers. The themes and motifs are right up my alley, discussing the desire/need for community, looking for the good in all people/creatures, and the general positive notion that we should probably not get rid of the environment. However, none of them really hit, which is a real letdown, especially from the same studio that brought us Coco, Soul, and Turning Red. Hell, the theme of community is underscored by Working For The Weekend by Loverboy, and it’s not bad, just feels generic, you know? That’s sort of the whole problem with Hoppers, a unique-looking film with a great cast that sort of feels like every other film about animals trying to stop humans from building a highway. Frankly, it’s a pretty enjoyable animated comedy film for kids and parents, and sometimes that’s what you can ask for from Pixar nowadays before they pump out Toy Story 5 or Incredibles 3. You know… I was gonna give this 2 stars, but after looking at Pixar’s Wikipedia page, I feel much better giving Hoppers a very respectable 3/5 just for being a charming, original animated story in 2026. Like I said, Demetri Martin as “Birds” You will laugh. 

3 out of 5 stars.

Directed and co-written by We Bare Bears writer/creator Daniel Chong (Jesse Andrews takes up the other half of that writing co-credit), Hoppers tells the story of a nature-loving teen, Mabel (Piper Curda), who transfers her consciousness into a mechanical beaver to save a small brook before it is demolished to make way for a new highway. “It’s like Avatar!” actual quote from the film. Starring Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, and Jon Hamm, the film also features supporting performances from Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Nichole Sakura, Sam Richardson, Eduardo Franco, Kathy Najimy, Isaiah Whitlock Jr. Vanessa Bayer, Ego Nwodim, Aparna Nancherla, Melissa Villaseñor, and Demetri Martin. Hoppers was made via the hard work of hundreds of artists, including animators, visual effects artists, sound designers, voice actors, and musicians, and was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Go enjoy this film with your friends and family on March 6th.