Hoppers – Review

Hoppers – Budget of $150 million – 1 hour and 44 minutes

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Mabel’s love for animals started at a young age. She tried to free all the school’s pets, but the teachers caught her. Her mother exiled Mabel to her grandmother’s home. Her grandmother, Ms. Tanaka, understood her rage and taught Mabel to be still and enjoy nature. She brought Mabel to the local glade. They sat on a rock, listening to the creatures. Mabel chose not to move with her family to the other side of the country so she could care for her ailing grandmother. Sadly, her grandmother passed away after Mabel promised to protect the glade.

Today, Mabel still lives in Beaverton, battling Mayor Jerry. He wants to build a new highway shortening the town’s commute. However, it will run through the glade. Mabel jets to the glade’s dam before Jerry’s construction workers can blow it up. She begs him not to do it. However, Jerry states that the city approved it because there aren’t any animals around. Mabel examines the area and realizes all the animals are gone, but she doesn’t know why. Jerry informs Mabel that she can stop it by having the town sign a petition. He gives her 48 hours to get the necessary signatures before blowing up the damn.

Mabel runs to Professor, Dr. Sam, and questions the missing animals. Sam explains that the lead beaver left, so the other animals followed suit. Mabel darts to the glade and sets a beaver trap. She plans to capture it, making it create a home in the glade. Mabel sees a beaver sniff her trap and run away. She chases after it and witnesses someone kidnapping the beaver. She follows them back to the university. Mabel sees the beaver swipe a keycard into Sam’s office. She assumes someone is hurting the animal and barges inside. Sam explains that she is running an experiment by putting her consciousness into the beaver to better understand animals. Mabel rushes to the machine, locks herself in, and puts her brain into beaver. Sam chases after the beaver, but it’s too late. Mabel escapes to a pond filled with animals. Mabel can understand them and vice versa. She tries to convince another beaver to leave the pond for the glade, but a bear, Ellen, tries to eat him. Mabel stops Ellen, but Mabel has upset the natural order. So Ellen takes Mabel to see King George.

King George is a beaver who regulates by following three rules. The first rule is don’t be a stranger. The second is if you gotta eat, eat. The final rule is that we are all in this together. The pond is crowded because something pushed them from their land. So, George made room for them. Mabel asks George why the glade animals left, and he blames it on the harsh sound. Mabel takes them to the glade, and the animals scream while covering their ears. Although Mabel can’t hear it. Then, she sees a fake tree with speakers on top. It’s playing a sound only animals can hear. She believes Jerry put it there to drive the animals out. She warns the animals that humans are the enemy and that they should reclaim their land. Soon, Mabel starts a war that puts Jerry’s life in danger. Can she save Jerry and the glade?

This computer-animated movie covers several topics while staying witty and entertaining. It talks about conservation, extreme activism, and teamwork. They painstakingly created animals that weren’t too realistic but mimicked their natural actions. It allows children to remain engrossed in the film while learning. The dialog uses animal humor but not hidden sexual innuendos. It ties in modern technology and government practices. The action is exaggerated, but it demonstrates what can happen if we work together. One moment that will resonate with children is Mabel saying she feels insignificant. She doesn’t think she can make a change, so she gets louder and bolder. This feeling changes her from a conservationist to an extremeist. George and her grandmother teach patience and collaboration. This funny and educational picture is for children and adults alike. And stay for the mid- and end-credit scenes.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

So, what they book you for this time – Grandma Tanaka

Come find out – Mabel

There are no animals – Jerry

Theoretically, yes – Dr. Sam

Potato – King George

How did he get a crown – Conner

The Bride! – Review

The Bride! – Budget of $80 – 90 million – 2 hours and 6 minutes

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Ida laughs with friends at a restaurant. She sees mob boss, Lupino, sitting at the bar. Ida hears a voice in her head telling her to rage. She does, and Lupino’s men pull her out of the bar. They harass her and push her down the steps. Ida breaks her neck and dies.

Meanwhile, Frank arrives at an institution and asks for C. Euphronious. The scientist has written about reinvigoration. A woman announces that she is Cornelia and uses C to avoid ridicule. After a lively discussion, Cornelia discovers that Frank is Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. She can’t believe her eyes. Cornelia asks Frank to stay so she can study him. However, Frank has a request. He wants Cornelia to reinvigorate a woman for him because he’s lonely. He entices her to do it to advance science. They dig up Ida’s corpse and bring her back to life. Frank has the woman of his dreams. But they are a nightmare as they taunt, maim, and kill across the country. Can anyone stop Frank and the Bride?

The director has Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, tell the story (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). She states that she died before she could write a scarier sequel. So she possesses Ida’s body and encourages Ida to fight against the world. Ida transforms from monster to icon while fighting societal norms. While this is a riveting dynamic, it’s confusing to have the lead character change accents. It turns complex, well-meaning, and necessary dialogue into a garbled mess. The hair and costumes perfectly match the period, but the makeup will make the award circuit. This plot offers a parallel story. As Frank and Ida go on a murderous rampage, Detective Jake and his assistant, Myrna, hunt them. However, Myrna is the brains of the operation, but no one respects her because of her gender. She feels a kinship with the bride. Mary offers a Bonnie and Clyde meets Romeo and Juliet love story with a statement about raging against the system. The film wants to be more, but falls into a weird niche. This film is a cult classic in the making, but you won’t watch it twice.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

I would prefer not to – Ida

I’m your Girl Friday – Jack

There is nothing left to do but live – Frank

Darling, you’re cracking – Mary

That’s no question to ask a lady – Myrna

I see what you mean – Cornelia

Protector – Review

Protector – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 32 minutes

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Nikki missed her daughter’s life while fighting overseas. She returned home for good after he husband died. Nikki desires to give her daughter, Chloe, a wonderful 16th birthday party. However, Chloe isn’t happy about it because she wanted to hang out with her friends. Nikki refuses to let Chloe leave, so Chloe stays in her bedroom. After a few, Nikki knocks on Chloe’s door, but she’s gone. Nikki uses her app to track Chloe on her phone. Nikki drives to the club and walks toward it. When she sees Chloe’s friends outside, Nikki asks why they aren’t with her. They explain that Chloe met a nice guy named Ben at the bar. Nikki calls Chloe’s friends idiots before entering the bar. There, she sees two men pulling Chloe out of the bar. Nikki chases them down, sees that Chloe is drugged, and kills the driver. However, Ben escapes with Chloe. Nikki knows she has to find Chloe in 72 hours or lose her forever. Luckily, Nikki has the training to take down this crime syndicate.

This film is in the ‘kill them all’ category, but with a twist. It highlights the seedy world of human trafficking, but doesn’t encourage a call to action. The massive cuts make the fight scenes jarring, but they pack a solid punch. The kills are bloody and stylish with plenty of bone-crushing sound effects. The lead pulls of a hard-hitting performance, but the constant narration takes the audience out of the moment. This film will cause you to flinch as well as laugh. This entertaining picture would have been better on a streaming platform.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t like to repeat myself – Nikki

You’re like my best friend – Chloe

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