Pixar has finally redeemed themselves with the recent release of their animated movie Hoppers as of March 6, 2026. Recent releases like Turning Red, Elemental, and Inside Out 2 had made fans of the studio lose hope; lacking the same character development, storytelling quality, emotional depth, and humor that Pixar Classics like Toy Story, Inside Out, and Finding Nemo had in abundance. However, Hoppers is a masterpiece that successfully combines and even enhances all of the original charm of its renowned predecessors, making Pixar finally earn their title as the undisputed #1 animation studio of all time.
The movie centers around main character Mabel Tanaka, a passionate animal activist and college student who often finds herself (humorously) at odds with the ambitious Mayor Jerry. When a freeway project threatens her beloved pond, Mabel utilizes a breakthrough “hopper” technology created by her professor, Dr. Sam. The tech allows Mabel to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver, allowing her full access to communicate with the forest’s actual animals. The mission to save the pond evolves into a hilarious and chaotic adventure in which realistic environmental themes, character development, and actual plot twists run rampant. I’ll tell you now, you would not expect the antagonist to be what they are.
Like I said, Hoppers has finally escaped the same repetitive formula recent releases have contained, with a lazy and profit-driven plot, being a coming-of-age where the protagonist is breaking away from family traditions or community expectations, and “millennial humor.” No, Hoppers once again proved that Pixar can still weave an original story and characters with thematic complexity(Environmentalism and the desensitization to the destruction of nature in daily life), emotional depth(the relationships Mabel forms with the mammal king George, rivaling even the best moments of Cars or Up), and actual humor(a very wacky, unhinged, and versatile style of humor, appropriate for all ages).
Critics are eating this movie up, with reviews being entirely positive, many of them agreeing with me and commenting on a creative and somewhat unhinged “revival” of the studio. William Bibbiani of The Wrap’s review sums this up perfectly: “This is Pixar’s best film since Coco. It’s smart, it’s wacky, it’s morally complex, and we need more films like it.” He’s surprisingly accurate, as the movie has a 94% Tomatometer and a 93% Popcornmeter, the highest-rated Pixar movie since Coco, which holds a 97% rating.
Overall, by blending the charm of major previous hits and an original, high-concept plot with the nature of a classic children’s movie, Hopper proves that Pixar doesn’t just create cartoons; they create stories, lessons, and events that are passed down through generations. If you thought the studio had passed its peak, then Hoppers is sure to break those expectations tenfold. Give it a watch!
