Rabbits are adorable and all, but is the Easter Bunny truly such an integral holiday icon? Do kids stay up late at night hoping to catch a glimpse of the Easter Bunny? Would they be psychologically scarred if you were to tell them that the Easter Bunny didn't exist? To me, he's on the low rung of the totem pole right next to the Tooth Fairy. If there are children eagerly waiting the time when the Bunny delivers garishly colored eggs, then Hop might be right up their alley.
Russell Brand voices E.B., a young rabbit who is heir apparent to the Easter Bunny Empire. Generations of male bunnies have carried the Easter tradition of delivering chocolates and sweets to children all over the world from their stronghold on Easter Island. E.B.'s father (Hugh Laurie) wants to pass the baton to his son, but E.B. is more interested in playing the drums. So he decides to run away and hop through a magic portal to Hollywood. From there, he meets Fred O'Hare (James Marsden), an underachiever who has been unable to hold down and job while still living with his parents. His younger sister, Samantha (Kaley Cuoco), gets Fred a cushy gig housesitting her boss's mansion.
E.B. invites himself in and quickly becomes a nuisance. Eventually, Fred and E.B. come to a mutual understanding. Fred will help his new furry friend win a talent contest hosted by David Hasselhoff, who appears as himself. In exchange, E.B. will assist Fred in living out his dream of becoming the first human Easter Bunny. If that wasn't bizarre enough, there's also a subplot involving a megalomaniacal chick with a Spanish accent named Carlos (Hank Azaria). Much like an evil Cesar Chavez, Carlos plots a revolution with his fellow chicks to gain control of the Easter factory.
Hop comes to us from Universal's new animation arm, Illumination Entertainment, which made a strong debut in 2010 with the delightful Despicable Me. It's written by the same screenwriters, Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, along with Brian Lynch, a comic book writer who also co-wrote the surprisingly good Puss in Boots. Unfortunately, Hop just isn't on the same level as those pictures. As an unconvincing mix of CGI and live-action, it's more on par with the Alvin and Chipmunks movies. That shouldn't be surprising since Hop was directed by Tim Hill, who also helmed the first Chipmunks flick as well as Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties.
Hop suffers from a lack of ingenuity and originality. The Easter Bunny seems to have cribbed his entire operation from Santa Claus, right down to an enchanted sleigh. In fact, the movie feels like someone recycled an old Santa screenplay and replaced it with rabbit-related elements. Hop also tries to appeal to audiences old and young. When E.B. initially arrives in L.A., he attempts to gain entry into the Playboy Mansion. Where else is a bunny to go? It's one of the rare gags in Hop aimed at adults, but the rest of the movie is purely for kids. Their parents will likely cringe during a silly musical number set to Bow Wow Wow's "I Want Candy" or at the revelation that talking rabbits poop jelly beans.
Hop isn't all bad. James Marsden brings a goofy earnestness to his role as Fred the slacker. Gary Cole and Elizabeth Perkins are solid, if slightly wasted, as his parents and fans of The Big Bang Theory might get a kick out of seeing Kaley Cuoco as Fred's more responsible sister.
Hop has a lot in common with the chocolates and candies that are usually passed around on Easter Sunday. It's brightly colored, overly sweet, and not very nutritious. Hop is pure junk food cinema that might entertain the kiddies, but will give older audiences a terrible toothache.
Rating: * (*****)
