--- title: "Hoppers: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/hoppers/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/hoppers" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Hoppers (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 20 reviews: 18 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics take Hoppers as Pixar finding its footing again, and the praise clusters on the comedy: review after review calls it the studio’s funniest film in years, with the beaver-world gags, the slapstick and a darker strain of humour singled out. The premise, a young activist sending her mind into a robot beaver, is widely thought well handled, and several reviews credit Chong’s direction and the voice cast. The message about coexistence is generally found warm rather than preachy. Reservations, where they come, are about the plot: The New York Times finds it overcrowded, Screen Daily thinks the emotional beats are sometimes forced, and The Guardian notes a loss of nerve on the villain. Two reviews break sharply from the rest. Slant sees a messy, confused film and a sign of the studio’s decline; Polygon goes further, calling it incoherent and arguing its message punishes the protagonist for trying to act. The spread is otherwise narrow, and warm. ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. Pixar’s funniest film in years threads silly, emotional and meaningful elements together with bonkers animal-world worldbuilding and a heartfelt message about nature and unity. It shows confidence the studio has often lacked lately. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hoppers/) ## IndieWire — Wilson Chapman Rating A-. 2 March 2026. The critic deems it Pixar’s freshest, funniest movie in years and the first since Turning Red offering something new, with nimble comedy about an environmental activist infiltrating the animal kingdom. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/hoppers-review-pixar-1235181189/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The film is Pixar at its best, with warmth, humor, exciting action, endearing characters, and an expansive notion of community. It has charm and a touch of magic but is grounded in empathy for all species. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hoppers-pixar-film-review-2026) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic calls it Pixar returning to vintage form with a clever, funny and visually appealing nutty action comedy that zips along driven by rambunctious energy. It singles out the tenacious protagonist flanked by amusingly anthropomorphized creatures that thrill kids while entertaining adults. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hoppers-review-pixar-disney-comedy-1236518225/) ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 March 2026. The critic calls it an inventive eco-adventure and a delight, praising its wit, comedic bite, expressive character design, crisp pacing and savage humour. It excels at finding magic in real-world environments threatened by urbanisation. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-hoppers-sound-of-falling-peaky-blinders-mothers-pride) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating B+. 2 March 2026. The critic sees it as a reminder of how good and weird Pixar can be when it aims small, with smart unruly variation at its center, comic energy unseen since Turning Red, and a zippy stylized cuteness. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/hoppers-revew) ## Los Angeles Times — Carlos Aguilar Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2026. Chong has unleashed a hilariously unexpected and outrageous crowd-pleaser with this environmentalist tale. It feels like the first great animated movie of the year, exalting individual conviction and community. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-03-06/hoppers-review-pixar-daniel-chong-animation) ## Radio Times Rating 4/5. 2 March 2026. Pixar bounces back from Elio with a beautifully judged, adorably animated film that blends body-swap chaos with an empowering message about co-existence. The critic praises its funny, lovely and appealingly righteous tone with big-hearted hopefulness. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/hoppers-review-pixar/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2026. The critic argues it counts as required family viewing for its fresh artistry and storytelling, being breezily funny, commendably fleet and appealingly modest. It owns its Avatar-like premise while using perky stylisation and old-school resolution. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/03/06/hoppers-pixar-review/) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 2 March 2026. Pixar rediscovers its mojo with an exuberant beaver-led action-thriller in which a young woman turns into a robot beaver to save an ecosystem. The critic singles out the well-executed high-concept premise and its full David Attenborough-style embrace of the natural world. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hoppers-review-2026) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic finds it a witty, sprightly family animation that riffs amusingly on Avatar and other films while exploring anthropomorphism and environmental protection. It zaps along entertainingly despite a loss of nerve on the villain. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/02/hoppers-review-family-animation-nature) ## The New Yorker — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2026. The cheerfully ludicrous sci-fi comedy launches into strange narrative territory with screw-loose comic vigor. It is a hoot but also soulful, knowing that seeing and understanding are one and the same for humans and animals. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/16/hoppers-movie-review) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. An entertaining Pixar picture that gets plenty of comic mileage out of its oddball premise of a teenager transmitting her consciousness into a robot beaver. The critic notes it introduces a refreshingly darker strain of humour alongside its paeans to the natural world, though the story sometimes forces its emotional beats. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/hoppers-review-pixar-bounces-back-with-charmingly-oddball-family-animation/5214404.article) ## The New York Times — Alissa Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2026. The movie has charm from its pudgy beavers and absurd humor that makes the overcrowded plot watchable. It delivers a fable-like lesson on coexistence and not letting the strongest win, with a science-nerd edge. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/movies/hoppers-review.html) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic calls it a fun, modest little movie with enough zip and charm to keep kids engaged, acknowledging Pixar may be running out of ideas but crediting the filmmakers for making the cumbersome setup go down easy with Looney Tunes-style antics. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/hoppers-review-pixars-running-out-of-ideas-thats-okay.html) ## Slant Magazine — Eli Friedberg Rating ★★. 2 March 2026. The critic finds it a messy confused film and a clear illustration of Pixar’s decline, with hectic chatty world-building that becomes less coherent, regressive artistically, and a Disney-friendly platitude disconnected from its themes. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/hoppers-review-meryl-streep-dave-franco-pixar/) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★☆☆. 4 March 2026. The critic notes the energetic, bittersweet latest with care, energy, gags and neat flights of fancy that elicits gasps and laughs from kids. It may leave children with mixed feelings while parents enjoy the wholesome eco-activist adventure. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/7603d71c-3c96-4d0d-bef8-5e8c2bf9d1dd) ## The Independent — Damon Smith Rating ****. 1 June 2026. Hoppers is a wildly imaginative Pixar comedy that conceals a lesson about protecting natural habitats inside a hilarious coming-of-age story. It features zany set pieces, visual and verbal gags, and emotional gut punches. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/riz-ahmed-ed-harris-neve-campbell-download-lily-james-b2987084.html) ## The Times Rating ★★★☆☆. 2 March 2026. The critic sees it as a step in the right direction for Pixar, with lots of fun, exquisite one-liners and a delightfully overstuffed finale, though not quite returning to glory days. It delivers a wholesome message through the secret life of woodland creatures. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/hoppers-film-review-pixar-l703dc2xm) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Rating Critic's Pick. 2 March 2026. The delightful new Pixar film is an out-of-the-box critter comedy that’s like ‘Bambi’ on crack. It is top-drawer Pixar that takes you someplace you’ve never imagined. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/hoppers-review-jon-hamm-piper-curda-pixar-1236675932/) ## /Film — BJ Colangelo Rating 9/10. 2 March 2026. The critic calls it Pixar's funniest film in years and an instant classic, praising its audacious mix of slapstick comedy, heartfelt emotion, and thoughtful environmental themes. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2111474/hoppers-pixar-movie-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic hails “Hoppers” as Pixar’s best film since “Coco,” praising its funny, clever, kind, playfully dark and wonderfully weird sci-fi comedy that subverts the “Avatar” premise with moral complexity, imaginative animal society storytelling, and a nuanced take on politics and intervention. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/hoppers-pixar-review/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 8/10. 2 March 2026. The critic calls Hoppers one of Pixar’s funniest films yet, praising its wild tone, inventive concept, and balance of comedy with emotional themes and heart. Chong’s direction and the voice cast stand out as highlights. [Read the review](https://collider.com/hoppers-movie-review-pixar/) ## Polygon — Sam Nelson Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic finds the film clumsy and incoherent, arguing it undermines advocacy and promotes apathy by punishing the protagonist for trying to make a difference. Strong animation is noted but does not salvage the muddled message and plot. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/pixar-hoppers-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/hoppers.md