'Hoppers' (2026): A Vivid Leap into Radical Empathy
Pixar returns with a beautiful, deeply eco-conscious adventure that trades sterile cynicism for a wildly imaginative, heart-on-your-sleeve embrace of the natural world.
I went into this latest Pixar venture with my armor completely down, and as someone who holds an immense, deeply personal love for animals and nature, it completely disarmed me. Directed by Daniel Chong (The We Bare Bears Movie), Hoppers follows a young girl named Mabel, voiced by Piper Curda (May December), who transfers her consciousness into an animatronic beaver to infiltrate the animal kingdom. What could have easily been a superficial, high-concept gimmick transforms into an emotionally charged exploration of radical empathy. Experiencing the world through the sensory realities of these creatures left me with tears in my eyes more than once. The breathtakingly immersive forest environments and meticulous animal textures crafted by the animation team complement incredible vocal performances, particularly from Bobby Moynihan (Inside Out) as King George, making the connection to this sanctuary feel profoundly real and urgent.
Hoppers operates with an infectious, high-energy rhythm that kept me entirely locked in, though it does occasionally stumble under the weight of its own ambition. There are so many distinct ideas, moving parts, and secondary character arcs sharing the spotlight that the narrative inevitably feels a tad overcrowded. It's not so much a matter of pacing whiplash, but rather that the script simply lacks the real estate to let every beautiful thematic seed fully bloom or achieve the shattering emotional impact of the studio's absolute best works. While some may find the human antagonist played by Jon Hamm (Top Gun: Maverick) to be too cartoonish, his self-absorbed, performative disregard for nature struck me as painfully accurate to our real-world climate reality. Ultimately, it remains a highly recommended, incredibly optimistic piece of filmmaking for families and children alike, offering a vital reminder that true advocacy requires us to step outside of our own egos.
Hoppers might not quite scale the historic heights of Pixar's masterworks, but its hopeful, inspiring soul will leave an undeniable mark on the heart of its viewers.
Rating: B+
