Taking inspiration from real-world robotic animals used for wildlife observation, “We Bare Bears” creator Daniel Chong brought “Hoppers” to Pixar’s lineup of acclaimed animated films.

“Hoppers,” which features Beaverton University student and environmental enthusiast Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda), begins with a childhood flashback: young Mabel is in trouble for stuffing school pets in her backpack to help them escape confinement. Following a lecture from her mother (Lori Alan), there is a bonding montage between Mabel and her grandmother (Karen Huie), who takes her to a glade, sits with her on a large rock and teaches her the importance of preserving nature. Forever touched by her grandmother’s words, college student Mabel argues with Beaverton mayor Gerald “Jerry” Generazzo (Jon Hamm) after discovering his plans to destroy the town’s glade under the pretense of minimal habitation and in pursuit of highway roadwork.

Then the hopping program is introduced. Developed by Mabel’s biology professor, Samantha Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), and her team of researchers, the classified project creates devices allowing the human consciousness to be placed into robotic nonhuman animal bodies. After Mabel stumbles upon this technology, she transforms herself into a robotic beaver and escapes to the glade, where she works with its inhabitants to investigate the real cause of the ecosystem’s collapse.

With nearly $375 million in box office revenue and a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “Hoppers” is among Pixar’s best-reviewed films. Through emotional dialogue and captivating visuals conveying humans’ disregard for nonhuman animals and their surroundings, the film prompts viewers to question whether technological advances are worth their environmental and moral costs. 

There’s no question Pixar made a valuable effort to explore themes such as taking responsibility for individual actions and connecting with others across differences. However, the movie lacks emotional depth and fails to live up to the company’s reputation for top-tier films.

First of all, the film’s promotions leaned heavily into its star-studded voice cast, including John Hamm as Mayor Jerry, Eduardo Franco as a beaver named Loaf, Mark Mothersbaugh as Tom the Lizard and Meryl Streep as the Insect Queen. As a result, some critics argue that its celebrity-focused marketing diluted the movie’s core message.

Mabel also lacks standout characteristics or defining moments. While it’s clear that Mabel’s driving motivation throughout the movie is her love for animals, the relationship with her late grandmother that nourished her passion only receives a few minutes of screen time.

Furthermore, Mabel directly mentions the hopping program’s similarity to “Avatar” (a sci-fi film about humans controlling alien bodies)—a clear attempt by the production team to conceal the program’s lack of novelty with humor. Other examples of poor taste include the reference made to Micheal Myers from “Halloween,” which seems too dark for a children’s film.

So while “Hoppers” fell short of the striking graphics of “The Wild Robot” and the emotional storytelling of “Coco,” the film nonetheless demonstrated Pixar’s willingness to move past repetitive sequels. For those seeking action-packed entertainment, many unexpected twists and a heartfelt resolution, “Hoppers” is still worth the watch.