Film Review: ‘Hop’ is a Limp Skip, Jump For Russell Brand

Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 1, 2011 - 6:36am

CHICAGO – A definitive cinematic exploration of the Easter Bunny story is precisely what the world is missing. Right? Anyway, the folks behind “Hop,” featuring the voice of Russell Brand as the rascally rabbit, has produced this heretofore missing piece of the film canon.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

This combination of live action and animatronic creatures is aimed at the younger set, with PG essential rudeness spliced in for the persons forced to take the younger set to the film. While visually interesting at times, the story bores as just another meandering hero-who-doesn’t-want-the-leadership-role-thrust-upon-him-but-eventually-comes-around kid friendly tale.

We meet E.B.(voice of Russell Brand) on Easter Island (grin), as he lives his idyllic life nurtured by his father (Hugh Laurie). E.B. is unconventional, preferring his rock drumming to the eventual role he will have to take as the Easter Bunny. When his father takes him on a tour of the amazing factories that produce the Easter candy, E.B. also meets a nemesis, a tough talking yellow chick named Carlos (Hank Azaria).

Meanwhile, on Planet Earth, a slacker dude named Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) is having trouble getting his life together and is living with his Mom and Dad (Elizabeth Perkins, Gary Cole), even though he looks to be in his early thirties. He is haunted by a vision he had as a child, that of a giant egg being pulled by hundreds of yellow chicks, and it seems to have effected his job seeking skills. His sister lands him a gig house-sitting an Los Angeles mansion, and fate is about to seek its destiny.

E.B, decides the only solution is to run away rather than take on the candy delivery responsibilities, and after falling through the rabbit hole (grin), he comes out on the other side in L.A., just in time to be nearly run over by Fred. The spastic rabbit is now under the care of the house sitter, and he desires only to play in a talent show judged by David Hasselhoff. Fred puts two and two together, and figures that this talking hare has to do with his youthful vision.

Easter Island sends its crack bunny commando unit, the Pink Berets, to find E.B. Carlos the yellow chick attempts a coup. Fred O’Hare begins to have an interest in the Bunny life. E.B. gets a big audition in front of the Hoff. Would Jesus have risen if he knew such complications would arise?

“Hop” opens everywhere on April 1st. Featuring Russell Brand, James Marsden, Hank Azaria, Gary Cole, Elizabeth Perkins, Kaley Cuoco, Chelsea Handler, Hugh Laurie and David Hasselhoff. Screenplay by Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio and Brian Lynch, directed by Tim Hill. Rated “PG”