I just walked out of an afternoon showing of Hoppers, and I’ve got to say: I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Pixar’s newest original movie is heartfelt, hilarious, and absolutely packed with adorable animals. It’s one of their better films in a while and easily one of the most charming animated movies of the year.
At its core, Hoppers combines a wild sci-fi concept with a classic Pixar heart—and it works incredibly well.
A Wild Pixar Concept That Actually Works
The story follows Mabel, voiced wonderfully by Piper Curda. She’s an environmental activist who grew up loving animals thanks to her grandmother, who introduced her to a beautiful natural area known as the glide.
When the city’s mayor, Jerry (voiced by Jon Hamm), wants to bulldoze the glide to build a highway, Mabel refuses to let it happen.
Her last hope? A university project called the HOPR program, run by Dr. Sam (voiced by Kathy Najimy), which allows humans to transfer their consciousness into robotic animals.
So naturally… Mabel becomes a beaver.
From there she dives headfirst into the animal world to try and convince them to return to the glide before it’s destroyed. It’s a crazy concept—but Pixar executes it nearly perfectly.
King George the Beaver Steals the Show
Going into the movie, I thought a meme-famous character, Tom the Lizard, might end up being the standout. He’s funny for sure, but the real scene-stealer ended up being King George the Beaver, also voiced by Bobby Moynihan. King George is the “Mammal King”, a tiny crowned beaver who rules over the animals. He’s adorable, funny, and instantly lovable.
At one point he appoints Mabel as his “right paw”—a hilarious riff on the “Hand of the King” concept from fantasy shows like Game of Thrones. By the time the movie ended, I walked out thinking one thing:
King George forever. He’s exactly the kind of character Pixar fans are going to latch onto.
The Pond Squad Is Comedy Gold
Along the way, Mabel forms a team known as the “Pond Squad.” It includes:
King George the Beaver Tom the Lizard A bear ally Loaf the ultra-chill beaver
Loaf, voiced by Eduardo Franco, might be one of the funniest characters in the movie. Imagine the laid-back sloth energy from Zootopia—but as a beaver who always looks like he’s vibing with half-closed eyes.
The dynamic between these animals leads to tons of great jokes and visual gags, especially as Mabel struggles to understand the rules of the animal world.
Pixar Humor at Its Best
The movie is genuinely really funny, especially in the final act.
Some of the comedy comes from the fact that humans and animals normally can’t understand each other unless they’re using the HOPR communication system. Without it, you’re basically watching characters trying to interpret random animal noises.
Eventually they even use a phone and emojis to communicate, which becomes one of the funniest running gags in the movie.
There are also classic Pixar slapstick moments—especially a very funny gag involving a squished insect.
Surprisingly Emotional (Especially If You Love Animals) Like most great Pixar films, Hoppers doesn’t just rely on laughs.
The emotional core of the movie comes from Mabel’s connection to her grandmother, who introduced her to the glide and shaped her love for wildlife. Saving the habitat isn’t just about animals—it’s about protecting the memory of the one person who truly understood her growing up.
The movie also explores themes like:
Environmental protection Respecting nature’s balance Humans and animals coexisting
And yes—if you’re an animal lover, there are a few moments where you might find yourself tearing up, especially in the final five minutes. The ending between Mabel and King George is extremely heartfelt.
Pixar’s Animation Makes the Animals Even Cuter
Another fun touch is how the movie switches between two perspectives of the animals. The animated talking animals we see during the story The human perspective, where they look like adorable stuffed animals. Somehow the second version is even cuter. Between the beavers, lizards, insects, and other wildlife, the character designs are ridiculously charming.
Final Thoughts
Pixar rarely makes truly bad movies. The expectations are just so high that even their “good” films sometimes feel like disappointments.
But Hoppers lands firmly on the winning side.
Funny Emotionally satisfying Full of lovable characters Powered by a really creative original idea. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if this movie makes a lot of money at the box office and eventually gets a sequel. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still a fantastic standalone Pixar adventure.
If you love animated movies, animals, or classic Pixar storytelling, Hoppers is absolutely worth seeing.
⭐ Verdict: One of Pixar’s best original films in years and easily one of the most entertaining animated movies of the year.
Hoppers = 84/100
