Pixar Borrows From Avatar and Up in Hoppers, But Stumbles on Its Own Message
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Pixar's latest film, Hoppers, blends elements of Avatar and Up with cutting-edge animation, but its confusing narrative inadvertently promotes apathy and discourages environmental advocacy, according to a recent Polygon review.
Pixar has always thrived on emotional resonance and high concepts, but its latest animated feature takes a jarring narrative turn. In Hoppers, directed by Daniel Chong and reported by Sam Nelson over at Polygon, a 19-year-old nature lover named Mabel Tanaka uses a robotic animal body to infiltrate the local wildlife. The film leans heavily on familiar touchstones, openly referencing the neural link technology from James Cameron's Avatar while channeling the heartbreaking, time-lapse emotional beats of Up during its opening sequence. Yet, despite the visual flair and voice talent like Jon Hamm and Dave Franco, the underlying message leaves a lot to be desired.
The core issue stems from how the film handles advocacy and environmental protest. When a local mayor threatens to bulldoze Mabel's favorite nature glade for a highway, her attempts to rally the community and fight back are framed as annoying and ultimately pointless. Even worse, when she uses the hopper technology to organize the displaced animals, the narrative seems to actively discourage resistance. As Nelson points out in the original review, the movie ends up looking like an Avatar story where the protagonist convinces the indigenous population that fighting back against corporate exploitation is simply too radical.
While the stunning animation, chaotic chase sequences, and a surprisingly intense monarch butterfly villain provide moments of entertainment, the narrative coherence suffers under its own contradictory themes. Modern audiences who look to entertainment for inspiring social commentary or empowering community action will likely find the apathy preached in Hoppers a tough pill to swallow. It is a reminder that even the most technically accomplished studios can miss the mark when their core narrative fundamentally undermines the very heroes it puts on screen.
Tags: Pixar, Animation, Movies, Polygon, Entertainment
Original article: Polygon