'Hoppers' Review: A Solid Pixar Outing That Makes For One of Their Best in Years
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
By Dan Bremner - March 3, 2026
As the 30th feature from Pixar Animation Studios, Hoppers had me worried. The trailers did it absolutely no favours, and after a run of films that have ranged from “perfectly fine” to outright forgettable in Inside Out 2, Elio, Elemental and Lightyear (with 2020’s Soul being the last one I truly loved), I went in bracing for another mild disappointment. Thankfully, this turned out to be one of their stronger efforts in years, not top-tier Pixar, but bold, vibrant, and consistently entertaining. I thought maybe it was because I was just getting old and kids films were starting to do little for me, but this proves Pixar do still have some magic up their sleeve.
The premise is classic high-concept Pixar: “What if we could hop our consciousness into robotic animals?” It’s inherently playful and packed with possibility. Watching Mabel inhabit a hyper-realistic beaver, entering this animal kingdom and their hierarchy opens the door to inventive world-building and some genuinely fun speculative ideas about communication, empathy and perspective. There’s an infectious curiosity baked into the concept that feels refreshingly original in an era dominated by sequels and safe IP extensions, which is something Pixar is very guilty of (do we really need Toy Story 5? They were already pushing it with 4).
It’s everything you’d expect from Pixar at this stage when it comes to the animation, technically flawless and bursting with colour. The robotic animals and “real” animals manage to be both convincingly mechanical and deeply expressive, and the environments feel rich and vibrant. There are a few standout set-pieces that remind you how imaginative the studio can be when it really commits. An insane “flying shark on a highway” sequence is as gloriously unhinged as it sounds, easily one of the most visually inventive stretches Pixar has put on screen in quite some time.
Hoppers leans into environmental appreciation and cross-species empathy without feeling overly preachy. There’s a sincere message about understanding the world beyond your own limited perspective and working together across differences. It’s broad enough for kids to grasp, but layered enough for adults to appreciate. While it doesn’t quite reach the existential depth of Pixar’s golden-era heavy hitters, there’s still genuine depth there that offers more than a mindless throwaway animated adventure.
The voice cast is strong across the board and does a lot of heavy lifting in grounding the concept. Piper Curda as Mabel brings an earnest, slightly awkward charm that makes her journey easy to root for, even if she does start off as an annoying “tree hugging liberal”, while the supporting performers that include Jon Hamm, Dave Franco, Bobby Moynihan and Meryl Streep inject fun and personality into what could have been purely gimmicky roles. The balance between naturalistic delivery and heightened animated energy is well judged, and there’s a reassuring lack of stunt-casting distraction. Even when the script leans too hard into quips, the cast are strong enough to keep the characters enjoyable. And if you're lucky enough to see this in the UK, there's cameos from Alan Carr and Shrek: The Musical star Amanda Holden, for some reason.
It's not without issues. The humour can be hit-and-miss. At times, it leans into overly quippy, hyperactive jokes that feel more in line with modern studio animation trends than Pixar’s sharper, more character-driven wit. Some gags land, others feel forced or oddly recycled. There’s a faint whiff of “Marvel-style” punchline timing that occasionally undercuts emotional beats. It's nothing grossly offensive, but it is lacking in true laughs outside of a handful of visual gags.
The adventure moves at a brisk clip, sometimes too brisk, and certain character beats feel slightly rushed. The third act does regain some momentum with spectacle and sentiment, but there’s a sense that a little more breathing room could have elevated it from good to great. And that’s ultimately where Hoppers lands: good, not great, but it is far better than the appalling trailers made it out to be, and sadly, it wouldn't surprise me if those trailers did a lot of damage, leading to another underperforming Pixar original.
Hoppers doesn’t quite achieve the emotional knockout of Pixar’s very best, nor does it redefine the studio’s legacy. But it is a confident, colourful original with big ideas, inventive imagery and enough warmth to stick the landing. After a few years of “fine,” this felt like a genuine step back in the right direction. A breezy, imaginative sci-fi adventure that’s easy to recommend, even if it doesn’t quite reach into the top tier.
'Hoppers' hits cinemas on March 6.
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