Disney Pixar's Hoppers has beaten out the likes of Toy Story 4 and Incredibles 2 to earn studio's highest Rotten Tomatoes score in almost a decade.
The new movie, which is being called "funny", "warm-hearted" and "unabashedly goofy" by critics, debuted to 97% on the review aggregator site – matching scores held by The Incredibles (2004) and Coco (2017).
Starring the voice talents of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Dave Franco, and Meryl Streep, Hoppers follows Mabel, a teenage animal lover who uses technology to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver. Now able to understand a nearby glade's wildlife, Mabel must find a way to stop the local mayor from destroying their beloved habitat.
The Film Maven's Kristen Lopez claimed it's "one of the best Pixar movies in recent years" in her review, while noting that "the script does feel slight in character motivations." She went on: "However, the delightful voice cast led by Curda and Moynihan are great, and the movie is at its best when it's weird. Who doesn't love adorable critters? Definitely a return to form, if not an instant classic."
"Hoppers is a fun, modest little movie with enough zip and charm to keep kids engaged, and as such, one doesn't want to criticize it too much," wrote Vulture's Bilge Ebiri. "But the memory of what Pixar once was, the behemoth that redefined animation for multiple generations, may still make us wonder where all that energy and originality and artistry went."
"Don't call it a comeback – but this is really strong stuff from Pixar: funny, thoughtful, sweet, making for a heartfelt paean to nature, and beavers in particular. Dam good," said Empire magazine's John Nugent.
"Hoppers has all the makings of a classic Pixar franchise. Somehow, this fantastic movie doesn't get cluttered with its themes about human-animal body swapping, environmental activism, and emotional connections with nature," Culture Mix's Carla Hay argued.
"Its zany humor, breakneck pacing —which builds in crescendo until it nearly tips into absurdity— and the occasional not-so-kid-friendly moment make it one of the studio's boldest bets in a long time," said Diario las Américas's Luis Bond.
"I wanted to not know what's going to happen next, what [Mabel's] going to do, what she's going to jump into. We knew there was opportunity here to make it almost like a spy action thriller," director Daniel Chong previously told GamesRadar+ of Hoppers' daring tonal shifts. "Comedy was number one, though, for me, and making sure it was funny and crazy, and then on top of that, grounded in a way that could be emotional. So, with all these tones that are bouncing off each other, that got us to this sweet spot that we honed over the course of six years."
Hoppers releases on March 6. For more, check out our guide to all the other upcoming Disney movies and shows heading our way.
