“Hop” wants to be the next kid’s holiday classic and, for that specific audience, succeeds at its goal. Produced by the studio that created “Despicable Me,” “Hop” continues their emphasis on originality with just the right comedic touch for kids. The movie follows E.B., the son of the Easter Bunny, who runs away from home because he doesn’t want to take over the job his ancestors have carried on for years. He meets a slacker, played by James Marsden, who can’t find a job that he wants despite his father’s persistence he take whatever he can find. Together, they help each other realize their dreams.
The movie succeeds on a pure animation level because, unlike “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” the integration of CGI creatures into the real world is seamless. “Hop” also deserves credit for keeping the home of the Easter Bunny’s factory completely animated. This allows E.B. to be the sole animated creature in the real world but presents Marsden’s character as the only real being in an animated world. Aside from the animation, the movie is a lighthearted, yet very funny, affair. It has the right touch of pop culture references that never leads into DreamWorks territory but allows adults to find humor while the kids laugh at the dancing animals. If you have small children, this movie is a perfect one to take them to.
Watch trailers and clips for “Hop” here.
