While I’d not consider myself a dissident, I have been open about how critical I am of the form Disney and Pixar have taken over the last couple of decades, going from producing the gold standard in animation and mastering the art of family-oriented storytelling, to a shrill shadow of their former glory, another cog in an ever-rotating capitalist machine that lost the spark that made their earlier work so exceptionally special. As far as I’m concerned, their last truly brilliant film was Coco nearly ten years ago, and everything else has ranged from being unnecessary sequels to much better films, or more ambitious productions that have promise but didn’t quite capture the same magic that was usually associated with the studio. There are obviously gems scattered throughout the years, but we’ve bypassed the days when every film that they produced was an unmissable triumph of modern filmmaking. However, one of the more entertaining recent productions is Hoppers, in which Daniel Chong (most notable for the work he did in creating We Bare Bears, a delightful show that has since gone on to have something of a cult following) makes his Pixar debut through a wickedly funny blend of science fiction and buddy comedy. The film follows Mabel, a rebellious college student who believes it is her duty to protect the environment, a lifelong struggle that has led her to be in constant combat with the narcissistic Mayor Jerry, who intends to destroy a local glade, citing the lack of wildlife as the reason for his decision, intending to replace it with a new highway development. Mabel takes matters into her own hands when she discovers that her college professor and mentor has built technology that allows participants to inhabit the robotic bodies of animals, giving them the chance to integrate into nature, which she sees as a perfect opportunity to challenge the ongoing urban development. A film that takes a wonderfully offbeat premise and turns it into an irreverent, undeniably funny slapstick romp that also has a very serious message at its core, Hoppers feels like a momentary return to form for the studio, proving that there is still some potential to surprise audiences when there is some effort behind it.

It seems to be a prerequisite that every Pixar film needs to have some kind of message beneath the surface, whether overt or subtle. This isn’t necessarily an indication of any kind of weakness, but rather just the way they’ve always crafted their stories. In recent years, the subtext has become more distinct than ever, to the point where we can tell what the meaning behind a film is simply from looking at it from a distance. In the case of Hoppers, we see Chong and his cohorts exploring environmental issues, particularly the tension between those who believe that the world is an untapped well of urban potential and those who are focused on fighting for the preservation of nature, both parties doing whatever is necessary to dominate the discourse and get their way, regardless of the cost. This is certainly not a controversial theme for the film to explore, since it can easily play off a clear distinction between good and evil in this situation (even if we know it is often a bit more nuanced than just one side being wholly evil and the other not having any additional agenda, neither of which is necessarily the case in reality) while also touching on some universal themes. The story explores the relationship between humans and animals through a vibrant science fiction comedy that looks at the qualities that divide us from other species, imagining how it would look if we were somehow able to integrate ourselves amongst other animals, which the film positions as being akin to living in a utopia, one governed by a “live and let live” mentality and a kind of equality that is nothing short of idealistic. Naturally, Hoppers is a film that has a lot to say and takes the time to investigate certain ideas, without actually becoming too intensely focused on delivering the message beyond what was necessary. It’s not the first time Pixar has examined environmental issues (both WALL-E and Up touch on it in various ways), but considering this is always going to be a subtle message beneath the surface, we can absolutely appreciate what this film is saying, even if it isn’t particularly revolutionary.

Where we find Hoppers succeeding while other recent films have struggled comes in the execution of its ideas. It’s not enough to have a strong premise; there needs to be a vision beyond simply the fill-in-the-blank premise of “what if [insert entity] had feelings?” which has become the source of parody over the years when discussing Pixar and its output. It’s certainly not too distant from this premise, but it uses it as the starting point rather than the anchor. It does help that Chong is someone who has done some solid work in the past, both in television and on film, proving that he wasn’t merely a neophyte with good ideas, but rather enters the film with a clear vision and a firm knowledge of how to execute these ideas. The fact that he is not attempting to persuade the viewer into thinking that this is some overly elaborate affair is a big part of why the film succeeds, since its simplicity is a welcome change of pace for a lot of contemporary animated films, where audacity apparently outweighs consistency as far as focus tends to go. The film employs a range of different comedic styles, including the kind of slapstick comedy that evokes the golden age of animation, where both logic and characters were far more elastic, and very witty humour that will appeal to older viewers, who will undoubtedly pick up on the subtle jokes that would otherwise be excised from a more cautious animated comedy. It’s never too unwieldy, and it focuses on genuine, meaningful humour – there are certainly plot holes and it never plays into the illusion that it is somehow entirely original (the plot’s similarity to Avatar is actually even mentioned within the context of the film, in a self-referential moments that highlights that this film is very much aware of its place in the modern cinematic landscape, especially one driven by revivals, reboots and remakes), and can instead focus on finding the unique elements in the smaller details, which makes the film far more interesting. It does help that the animation is colourful, striking and genuinely lovely, which is to be expected for a studio that is prioritising the revolutionising of the medium. As a whole, Hoppers is tonally much more goofy than many recent mainstream animated films, but it’s almost liberating to see a film allowing itself to be endlessly silly, a welcome change of pace for a medium that is growing steadily more serious as time progresses.

There has never been a better time to be an actor than now, since the rise of animation as one of the most profitable forms of filmmaking has allowed many performers to sign on for roles that often only require a couple of weeks of active involvement, with immediate cultural cache and an enormous paycheque following soon afterwards. However, I always appreciate when a film chooses to go with actors who aren’t just big names, but rather have experience working in animation, since this often leads to richer and more interesting characterisation. This is the case for Hoppers, which has a solid cast, albeit one that isn’t just a cavalcade of well-known names. Several people have worked with Chong before (both Bobby Moynihan, who is surprisingly taking on a leading role for the first time in his career, and Eric Edelstein were two of the titular three protagonists in We Bare Bears), while a few newcomers – including the young but incredibly gifted Piper Curda as the rambunctious protagonist – lend their gifts to these fascinating characters. There are a few surprising inclusions (somehow they managed to wrangle Meryl Streep to play a small but pivotal role, and even though she’s not in the film for long, she is fantastic), but where even the more well-known actors are forced to to develop stronger and more meaningful characters, rather than just reciting lines, which leads to some very interesting choices, which even reflects in more one-dimensional characters like those played by Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy and Dave Franco, both of whom commit wholeheartedly to these parts. Hoppers is a very funny film, but also one that has a lot of emotional tenderness at the core, so it was an absolute necessity that everyone involved be able to play into both the humour and occasional dash of melancholy that defines this film, making it a surprisingly moving depiction of friendship and the importance of community. So much of the story is filtered through these performances, with every ounce of emotional resonance being felt through their wonderful work, allowing Hoppers to be a wonderful example of a strong cast being more than dedicated to a completely wacky and irreverent premise.

Hoppers may not be a perfect film, but considering Pixar and Disney have become so preoccupied with resting on their laurels, it is an unequivocal leap forward for a pair of studios that are a far cry from their glory days, but still tend to show occasional signs of brilliance when the time calls for it. Part of this comes in the decision to give Chong, a director who had not made a film for them previously, carte blanche to do what he wanted, and the difference that comes when we see someone with a clear vision handed the reins, which he takes without any hesitance, never being too intimidated by the prospect of handling a film by arguably the leaders in contemporary animation. In an era where it seems like animation is becoming lazier than ever before, it’s encouraging to see a big studio actually put some effort in – and while the majority of the praise needs to go to Chong and his team for daring to march to the beat of their own drum, the producers should also receive credit for being willing to take a risk on what was clearly a more offbeat premise. The gamble paid off, since Hoppers is an absolute delight – its humour is sharper and more interesting than we may have expected, it has tremendous character development and a sincerity that helps balance out the off-the-wall premise, bringing it down to earth in a way that is intentional and compelling. The film is a massive triumph, having a genuine charm that is wonderful to see. I don’t expect Disney or Pixar to make a pivot towards these irreverent, slapstick comedies more frequently, but as a brief experiment in seeing how far they can take an already strange idea, it works perfectly. Never overstaying its welcome and being driven by many lovable qualities, Hoppers is a real delight, and one of the best Pixar films in quite some time, joining films like Turning Red and Elio as small but unforgettable gems that prove that the studio still has the capacity to do something genuinely special from time to time.