Hop is a movie I am very, very familiar with! This was a firm favorite movie for my son when he was younger so I have to have seen this movie the better part of 50 times over the years! To be fair, Hop is a fun time and one of the better family movies. It is brought to us by Illumination and it is one of their best efforts. I always felt that they could have made a sequel to this which sure as hell is not going to happen now!
How to Download Hop
You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Check out also other films by Illumination – Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, or Sing.
The Movie Review: A Charming Tale with Unexpected Twists
The movie was directed by Tim Hill and he did a great job bringing this charming story to life. However, what is now awkward about Hop is that Russell Brand is the main character! I wonder if that is going to lead to this movie being phased out over the years. It is a real shame too as it is so much fun, but I get why parents these days would not want their kids watching anything with him in it.
Russell Brand voices E.B. E.B is the son of the Easter Bunny and he lives on Easter Island. E.B does not want to follow in his father’s footsteps and become the next Easter Bunny, he wants to be a drummer! This leads to E.B freaking out and running away to try and find himself and live his own life.
Fun and Friendship: E.B. and Fred’s Adventure
Our other main character is a man called Fred. Fred is played by James Masters and he is just so likable and charming. Fred is like the black sheep of his family, they are always on his case to grow up, find a job, and do something with his life. I must say, it is kind of awesome how Kayley Cuco is his sister.
Fred hits E.B with his car and that is how the two of them meet. They start off not liking each other, but Fred and E.B soon realize that they actually have a lot in common and become friends. The twist is that E.B is manipulating Fred at first! You see, when Fred was a kid he was sure he saw the Easter Bunny and no one believed him, but E.B tells him that it was he that he saw.
A Crisis on Easter Island and the Quest to Save Easter
On Easter Island, all hell is breaking loose! E.B.’s dad sends his guards, The Pink Berets who are like bunny ninjas (which are cute and awesome) to find E.B and bring him back. However, E.B running away is the least of the Easter Bunny’s problems as one of his right hand men (well a chicken) called Carlos is plotting a coup to become the next Easter Bunny…. Even though he is a chicken.
What we have is a lot of fun moments of these two trying to escape the Pink Berets, win the approval of Fred’s family, and save Easter! It is ultimately a story about being who you are and trying to do what makes you happy and find your own path. Even though I have seen this movie a million times, it is one that always puts a smile on my face.
Final Thoughts on Hop and Its Enduring Appeal
I have to say that Hop also looks great, the animation on E.B and the other animated characters is fantastic. As well as Russell Brand, the less said about him the better! We have a great voice cast with Hugh Lawrie being the Easter Bunny and Hank Azaria being the treacherous Carlos the Chick.
Even with me seeing this movie as many times as I have, if Hop got a 4K release, I would probably get it. I just wish that they made a better video game tie-in as the one for Nintendo DS sucked! Anyway, if you are looking for a fun family movie to watch with the kids, Hop is awesome and I am certain you will have a lot of fun with it.
