Hopping on the bandwagon at a cinema near you...

Hop is another addition to the growing slate of family films that combine CGI animation with live action. The film’s director Tim Hill is responsible for recent hits from the same mould as Garfield 2 (2006) and Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007). Here he is joined by the writers and producers of the blockbuster CGI animation film Despicable Me.

The major pitfall shared by the bulk of films that incorporate CGI animation with live-action is that they rely upon cute character design at the expense of a solid plot. Hop, unfortunately, falls prey to the same obstacles.

The story revolves around a slacker named Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) who accidentally injures a bunny and is forced to look after him. To Fred’s horror, this particular mammal, who goes by the name of E.B., can talk. E.B. is, in fact, the son of the Easter Bunny and next in line to inherit the prestigious role. Unable to conform to his father’s needs, E.B. has run away. Now, alongside Fred, he must learn what it takes to grow up.

The legend of the Easter Bunny was ripe for big screen treatment and held the potential of becoming a great family film. Instead what the writers have done is to transplant the characteristics of another iconic character, namely Santa Claus, to the Easter Bunny’s mythology. For example, in Hop, the Easter Bunny travels to people’s homes in a sleigh-like vehicle carried by dozens of chicks, and his epic base is reminiscent of the toy factory in The Santa Clause (1994), the hugely successful Tim Allen film. It feels as if the filmmakers wanted to bestow the legend with a sense of spectacle and there is no doubt that the CGI is state of the art. However, it instead comes across as lazy storytelling.

To add insult to injury, the film’s moral about trying to find your place in the world has also been flogged to death in more intellectual family fare, such as How to Train Your Dragon (2010). Unlike HTTYD, there is little here for parents wishing to catch another adult-friendly animation. The script is dull and the gags are few and far between. Furthermore, the human characters are the worst thing in the film. James Marsden as Fred O’Hare is too clean-cut to be a believable slacker. Furthermore, the silly storyline that ties his destiny to that of the Easter Bunny’s is a lame attempt at further emulating the magic of The Santa Clause.

There is very little to admire about Hop. I will admit that Russell Brand as E.B., and the rest of the vocal cast (which includes fellow Brit Hugh Laurie as the Easter Bunny), all put in strong performances. There is also a mildly funny subplot with a socialist stance involving the worker chicks in the Easter factory. And kids will undoubtedly be drawn to the super-cute animated characters. But those few bright points are simply not enough to carry a film. The sad truth is that this tired tale of a rebellious rabbit does not have the legs to walk, let alone hop.

See also:

Yogi Bear review

Gulliver's Travels review

Marmaduke review

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