Director: Daniel Chong

Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy

Rating: PG | Genre(s): Animation, Coming-of-age, Drama | Run Time: 1hr 44min

HEARTWARMING FILM WITH IMPRESSIONISTIC INFLUENCE

“Disney’s Hoppers is a visually charming body-swapping adventure with a touching message on environmental conservation and grief.”

Animal-loving college student, Mabel (Piper Curda) on a mission to save the local habitat, transfers her mind into the body of a robotic beaver to understand wildlife.

The storytelling follows the Eco-Hero/Vigilante narrative. But what makes this film stand out is the realistic portrayal of the cost of urbanization, in this instance, infrastructure development-vs-environmental conservation. Mabel’s journey from being a naïve advocate to becoming painfully disillusioned is both gripping and relatable, allowing audiences to see a reflection of themselves.

The animation is 3D – a signature style from Pixar, except without hyperrealism; opting instead of an impressionistic handcrafted-feel. The background is less detailed for a more emotional rather than visual impact. Characters are constructed using basic shapes – specifically utilizing roundness to convey friendliness. Together, these choices result in a unified visual language that supports storytelling through feeling, not just detail.

Piper Curda delivers a strong performance of Mabel capturing the enthusiasm and energy of youth. Her voice remains steady throughout the film shifting through numerous emotions effectively to match scenes and tone, except during her accountability moment where her voice acting sounds more corny than sincere. Despite this brief inconsistency, her overall performance remains solid and believable.

Although Hoppers uses common tropes, it’s realistic portrayal of environmental issues communicated in a family-friendly way remains its greatest strength.

Final Verdict:

A visually distinctive and emotionally open animated film that balances environmental commentary with character growth, even if it occasionally leans on familiar storytelling patterns.

★★★★⯪ (4.5/5)