Hopper, el polloliebre

IN A NUTSHELL: This colorful animation is based on a comic book series by Chris Grine. The story is about a brave young animal explorer who teams up with two trusty friends to find a powerful artifact before his greedy uncle can get his paws on it. Eager to fit in and feel loved in spite of his differences, he is obsessed with adventuring in spite of his clumsiness. The film is directed by Ben Stassen and Benjamin Mousquet. The screenplay was written by David Collard.

I have 4 sons. One of them was obsessed with hamsters so, of course, we had plenty of hamsters over the years. He would have really enjoyed this movie when he was a little kid.

THINGS I LIKED: The animation is delightfully detailed and colorful. And the textures of things like wood and water are so impressive.

The voice talents include Jordan Tartakow (Chickenhare), Joe Ochman (Abe), Danny Fehsenfeld (Lapin), Mark Irons (Piggies), and Donte Paris.

The design of Abe the turtle, the royal servant, is totally adorable. I loved the entertaining touch of his constantly-changing hats. I had pet turtles for 25 years, so I guess I'm a little biased, but Abe had most of the funny lines too.

Inspired heavily by Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, there are many scenes that are almost duplicated with a respectful nod to the classic. At one point, the turtle servant quips, "Darn tropes!" ha ha Adults will recognize some of the music inspired by other movies too. The Easter eggs come from movies like Moana, Angry Bird, Lion King, and even Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back!

Plenty of humor, both spoken and visual.

The animation design of the pig soldiers was ridiculously cute and original.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Not all of the voices seemed to match the characters.

A lot of the humor is geared towards adults. Many of the jokes, references, and vocabulary will go way over the heads of young kids.

I was hoping the hamsters were going to be cuter and more epic.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Bullying Animated violence in a bar scene and other locations Characters in perilous situations It's a kid's movie so, yeah, there is farting (from a skunk) No profanity. Instead, we hear words like "darn".

This movie is family-friendly for all ages.

THEMES: Self-identity and finding out what makes you special Confidence in one's self Courage Family Friendship Working together Using one's unique talents.

Fun & humorous ride that's filled with of homages to Indiana Jones, Angry Bird, Lion King, Empire Strikes Back. Look closely and you'll also catch some Easter eggs.

What's good about it is that, despite borrowing 'ideas' from above movies, it does create original characters that get you invested. Especially Abe, the perpetually pessimistic turtle who views circumstances through the empty half section of the glass. But boy oh boy, does his wise cracks provide a big chunk of the laughs!

My gripe is the central, but ever recurring theme among animations, of self - discovery, i.e. The journey of chickenhare who discovers that he's, 'different' from others. Why do animations keep using this theme? It's has become annoying. For all of its ingenuity and smartness at weaving a story with the homages, chickenhare doesn't hesitate to use this plot device. And that to me, keeps it from at least an 8.

Our family had a good time watching this movie in the cinema. It has a good pacing, the animation is technically great, the scenery and the characters are well designed, there is a lot to see here.

Storywise, this adventure movie does not explore new territory. Not a problem for the kids, but the lack of surprises is a downside. On the other hand, it is enjoyable for the parents to list all the famous movies this movie borrows scenes from (including all the musical references).

This film is straightforward fun, and can be considered as a good introduction for the kids to the old classics we love so much.

I sat down with my 12 year old son to watch the 2022 animated movie "Hopper Et Le Hamster Des Ténèbres" (aka "Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness"). I must admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any expectations for the movie, but of course opted to give it a fair chance.

And I will admit that writer David Collard, along with directors Ben Stassen and Benjamin Mousquet, definitely managed to put together a very wholesome and genuinely entertaining storyline. It is one that has something for both adults and children alike. And I was pleasantly surprised with it, I have to say that.

"Hopper Et Le Hamster Des Ténèbres" is clearly inspired by "Indiana Jones", and it shows and also sounds; from Chickenhare's outfit, the music throughout the course of the story, the grand adventure and the general atmosphere of the whole thing. And guess what, it works. Oh yeah, it works.

The animation was good, smooth and very life-like, which definitely added something good to the overall movie. And the art style was good, especially since it brought the characters to life in a very good way and gave the characters unique traits and such. Lots of great details in the scenes.

The movie has some very memorable and outstanding characters, both the protagonists and antagonists. I definitely liked the character gallery in "Hopper Et Le Hamster Des Ténèbres".

I was genuinely entertained by "Hopper Et Le Hamster Des Ténèbres", and it is an animated movie that I can and will warmly recommend you sit down to watch. Well-worth taking the time to sit down and enjoy.

My rating of "Hopper Et Le Hamster Des Ténèbres" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Chickenhare is a neat animated adventure film. In it, after failing a test to get into the Royal Adventurers Society, Chickenhare, the adopted son of Peter, the king of Featherbeard, who is a cross between a chicken and a hare (hence why he has the legs of a chicken and feathers on his head) sets out with his servant, Abe, to find the Hamster of Darkness to prove himself. However, his evil uncle, Lapin, has escaped prison and seeks the hamster to overthrow Peter and become king.

This is a neat movie for kids seven and up. I say that because it does have some crude humor (mainly the character of Meg, who is a skunk), and some dark moments, but it is an entertaining film. Despite being a basic story where the main hero, who is considered an outcast, goes to prove himself, fighting an evil villain, the voice acting is great, and the story is good. My only complaints are some of the jokes are hit-or-miss and the film is on the short side.