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HOP
Genre: Animation | Comedy | Family
IMDB rating: 5.4/10 (513 votes)
Directed by: Tim Hill
Starring: Russell Brand, James Marsden and Elizabeth Perkins
Release Name: Hop.2011.TS.READNFO.XViD-IMAGiNE
Size: 700 MB
Video: 640×320, 968 kbps, 23.976 fps
Audio: English,128kbps, MP3
Runtime: 83 mins
Just in time for Easter, the creators of Despicable Me (director Tim Hill) and Alvin and the Chipmunks (producer Chris Meledandri) have worked together to bring you Hop – a tale of dreams, friendship, mutiny and… chocolate?
The film’s central theme revolves around the relationship between a man, a bunny and their dreams. Aimed toward a 12-and-under audience, the film kept the normally crude and inappropriate British comedian Russell Brand’s performance rated PG, while still keeping his hilarity and wittiness intact. You won’t find yourself rushing out to pre-order the DVD release after the credits roll, but you will be delighted by how adorable a fuzzy little bunny with a drum set can be.
E.B., voiced by Russell Brand, is a small bunny with a whole lot of personality. Next in line for the coveted position of Easter Bunny, the teenaged rabbit would love nothing more than to ditch the family business and become a famous rock star. Drowning under the weight of his father’s (voiced by House’s enigmatic anti-hero, Hugh Laurie) expectations, E.B. runs away from his predestined life on Easter Island to try his hand in Hollywood. Your heart will go out to the furry idealist as he walks the streets trying to find a place to live and wonders aloud if, “Maybe this is the rags part of my rags to riches story.”
There, in a twist of live-action/animation magic, E.B. meets (and is almost run over by) the film’s second leading man. James Marsden shines in his portrayal of Fred O’Hare, a twenty-something underachiever still living in his parent’s house. Unimpressed with his inability to hold a job, Fred’s family all but kicks him to the curb in an intervention-type attempt to help him grow up.
The unlikely duo play off of each other very well, proving that you don’t have to be of the same species to be friends (as long as you have the magical ability of animal speech). One of the best scenes of the movie include the pair, with a flustered Fred trying to make E.B. leave the mansion he’s house-sitting after hitting him with his car. In an attempt to placate the moaning and limping bunny, Fred asks him, “You want some baby aspirin?” E.B. replies, “No, save it. Next time, you may hit a baby.”
Other notable performances include those by Hank Azaria as Carlos, a heavily Hispanic-accented chick that plans a coup d’éta against the Easter Bunny, and Big Bang Theory‘s Kaley Cuoco as Fred’s well-meaning sister. In fact, most of Fred’s family is played by an actor of comedic background, with Elizabeth Perkins and Gary Cole playing his parents. Minor supporting roles feature Chelsea Handler as the potential boss of a video game company during an interview with a rabbit-frazzled Fred and David Hasselhoff, who takes an interest in E.B.’s amazing drumming skills after he auditions for Hoff Knows Talent.
One of the main problems the film had was failing in its attempt to make Easter comparable to Christmas. With a robust frame, a sleigh pulled by tiny chicks, a workshop filled with urgency and the deadline of having to deliver Easter goodies to children around the world in one single night, it’s obvious that the writers were trying to find a correlation between the two holiday figureheads, but the Easter Bunny is still no Santa. The Easter Bunny plot line would have been more interesting if it had been given its own flavor and not just a watered down rendition of an already widely accepted character’s modus operandi.
Despite its over-the-top and unrealistic plot, Hop remains totally relatable. Who hasn’t felt the pressure of living up to their parent’s expectations or been the victim of extreme underachieving tendencies? Hop takes the poster boys for these situations and shines a rosy light on their inadequacies, all while making you crave a big ol’ bag of jelly beans. Just make sure you know where they came from first!
Hop.2011.TS.READNFO.XViD-IMAGiNE
