The writers of “Despicable Me” are back with another film for families this spring: the combination live-action/animation flick “Hop.”
“Hop” gives audiences a peek behind the proverbial curtain to explore the secrets of Easter, answering mystifying questions such as, “What is the function of the stone heads on Easter Island?” and “why do we have an Easter Bunny and not an Easter Chick, when the painted and candy-filled goodies are eggs and bunnies are mammals?”
The film “Hop” takes place under the stone statues of Easter Island in a “Willy Wonka”-like factory of Easter. Marshmallow chicks are made up of a ratio of “marsh” and “mallow” cream and bunnies oversee their chick workers as they ride the factory floor on Segways.
This fantastic world encounters real-life difficulties as the film tackles the issue of children’s dreams conflicting with their parents’ expectations. The story follows E.B., the son of the Easter Bunny, as he runs away from the underground family business to the bright lights of Hollywood to pursue his dream of being a professional drummer.
Although eager to reach his dream, E.B. (Russell Brand) is not prepared to leave his sheltered life and live on his own, just like another character he encounters in America, Fred O’Hare (James Marsden). These two struggling 20-year-olds cross paths one night in Beverly Hills and become stuck together, for better or worse. Through a series of events, E.B. and Fred help each other to realize their own potential and go through a bunny boot camp to prepare for the big day.
The film culminates as the two utilize their newfound strength and save Easter from the clutches of Carlos, an evil chicken bent on taking over Easter and transforming it into a healthy, logical holiday in which the egg-layers give out the egg-filled baskets.
In this Easter-centric world, everything is egg or candy-based. Before the movie begins, the globe in the Universal logo is transformed into the shape of an egg, matching the globe in E.B.’s room. Similarly, the end credits have eggs, chocolate bunnies, gummy carrots and bunnies, lollipop trees and marshmallow chicks as accompanying artwork for the headings. The yellow minions from “Despicable Me” make an appearance wearing bunny ears and cotton tails attached to their overalls as they finish painting the Illumination Entertainment logo. Truly, once the feature presentation kicks off, audiences are trapped in an egg-shaped world. And while this might sound awful, there is an eclectic soundtrack to keep viewers singing along and laughing for an hour-and-a-half.
The lyrics of Good Charlotte’s “The Anthem” resonate with the conflicted lives of E.B. and Fred O’Hare as they try to assert their independence and determine their own future. Poison’s melancholic “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite” are also featured on the film’s soundtrack, as the audience is led through the musical world of E.B.
“Hop” features an ensemble cast comprised of live action performances and voice-acted animations. Marsden, Gary Cole and Elizabeth Perkins lead as the O’Hares, humans who welcome E.B. into their home, while Brand, Hank Azaria and Hugh Laurie lend their voices to the illustrated animals. Of course, the cast also encounters the quintessential personalities one would expect to meet on any trip to Tinseltown: David Hasselhoff, Chelsea Handler and Hugh Hefner.
Rated PG for some mild humor, “Hop” takes the beloved Easter bunny icon and breathes in some magic and family politics. For a mindless laugh and hopping musical accompaniment, see Brand (“Get Him to the Greek”) as a horrible houseguest once again, and Marsden (“Enchanted”) as a dashing male lead looking for a new life goal. But don’t leave before the end of the credits – there is a surprise waiting in store!
Margaret Clayton can be reached at [email protected].
