"Hoppers" REVIEW

Published on 3/19/2026 

Written by: Braylon Mitchell 

Directed by: Daniel Chong 

Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Melissa Villasenor, Meryl Streep, etc. 

Plot: A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination. 

REVIEW 

Since the beginning of the 2020s, I've noticed something about the teasers/trailers of Pixar films- they haven't worked for me. Not to say the trailers are bad or anthing like that nor have they ever deterred me from wanting to actually see the film, but I've found myself underwhelmed consistently enough to realize that the way Disney/Pixar market their films doesn't click with me for some reason which is odd because I've pretty much loved most every Pixar film of the past five years- "Soul", "Luca", and "Turning Red" to name a few were films I really loved yet prior to seeing them I wasn't a big fan of the trailers/marketing. This film is another prime example of that, as it turned out to be so much more than what was being marketed to us- not only from the standpoint of messaging but also the hilarity that is this film's sense of humor. I don't think it was being marketed nearly enough how genuinely funny this film is, I'd argue it might be the funniest film Pixar has ever put out. To the credit of the overly basic trailers that I've dedicated much of this review to harping on, there were a few shocking angles to this film's plot as it escalates in ways that are hilariously unexpected. Director Daniel Chong and crew fully lean into the silliness of this idea and it pays off excellently with shock value that never feels cheap or unearned- enhanced by clever comedic dynamics, running gags, and a consistency towards staying focused on our cast of characters and the underlying emotions that drive them forward. In particular, I adored the film's lead Mabel; her character arc/motivations paving way for some really strong commentary on activism and how one can feel powerless in a broken system- honing in on the message of communication in a way that was just as heartfelt as it was timely. To no surpise of my own, I've been very much charmed and moved by Pixar's latest film. It's quite possibly Pixar's best in years. 

THREE BEST ELEMENTS

• The voice acting. Everyone in the cast gives a wonderful voice performance, most memorably Piper Curda is perfect in the role of Mabel and gives a performance so full of personality. Also, I've got to give a shoutout to Dave Franco's performance as the Insect King. I've unironically been thinking a lot about his performance, he's so good at sounding like a silly supervillain. 

• Daniel Chong's direction. For a lot of Gen Z adults around my age, when it comes to Chong's work we're familiar with the Cartoon Network show "We Bare Bears" that he created. I really enjoyed watching that show when I was younger, and I'm so glad that even when transitioning over to a large scale Pixar project- Chong's sense of humor and personality wasn't washed out, if anything it came across stronger. His direction of this film feels in part intimate to his own experience/upbringing, and certainly is steadfast in his strive for maintaining silliness within the plot.  

• The animation. Once again, a Pixar film's animation is phenomenal. The sky is blue. We breathe oxygen. Food tastes good. Of course, it's natural. Still, I never tire of praising wonderful animation. The environments and character designs are so lively. In particular, I adored the design of Mabel's human form- again, so full of personality. I'm using that word a lot in this review, but I can't help that it's so fitting for describing everything about this film. 

WORST ELEMENT 

• Follows a few overly convenient plot beats a little too closely, but then again that's expected. Aside from that, nothing too notable. 

RATING

8/10

If you love original animated films you should watch it, buddy!