Review: HOP - A Sickly Treat That's Tough To Swallow
rating: 2
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There are many ways to sell an animated film, but having it directed by the man responsible for the more painful of the two horrid Garfield films - listed among Bill Murray's sole regrets, no less - is not one of them. But a solid cast is a solid cast; Hop boasts the voices of Russell Brand, Hugh Laurie and Hank Azaria, while featuring live action turns from James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, Elizabeth Perkins and Gary Cole. Are they slumming it, or can they somehow elevate an idea that so brazenly rips off Tim Allen's The Santa Clause? Perhaps the one refreshing thing Hop has going for it is a surprising lack of 3D, especially considering the visually elaborate opening; a pass through the Easter Island factory, where all the chocolate is made, replete with CGI fountains of the tasty stuff. The sickly visuals will certainly tempt anyone with a sweet tooth, and kids will doubtless be left salivating, for the visual effects are impressive for a film produced on a tighter budget than most mainstream animated fare. However, this promise soon goes to pot once the live actors are forced to interact with their animated co-stars, as is true of so many films of this type. An overabundance of pop music, a dull, inane plot, and a criminal squandering of Russell Brand's wily charms are just a few of the reasons why Hop ostensibly fails. Instead of crafting a storied celebration of Easter, Hop feels desperately keen to stay relevant, shoehorning in pop culture references into a story about a teenage rabbit, E.B. (Brand) who shirks the responsibility of taking up the mantle of the Easter Bunny in favour of pursuing a drumming career in Hollywood. E.B. plays the video game Rock Band incessantly, as though contractually-mandated, and it would seriously be of little surprise.