“Hop” A Fun Easter Treat for the Whole Family
- Matt Palmer
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Easter is just around the corner and I wanted to check out something that the whole family could enjoy. So, as I was scrolling around, I found the 2011 movie from Universal and Illumination - “Hop.”
Beneath Easter Island, in a giant factory that manufactures the world’s Easter candy, the popular rabbit is preparing to pass the mantle to his son, E.B. But E.B. has no interest in the job and would rather be a drummer.
He runs away to Los Angeles, where an unemployed slacker named Fred O’Hare accidentally runs into him. Feigning injury, E.B. tricks Fred into giving him shelter, but an oversized side-sized chick is planning on a coup back on Easter Island.
Even though the 2011 family movie “Hop” initially received not so great reviews from critics during its theatrical run, it’s still a fine movie for kids and their families to see for the Easter holiday. “Hop” delivers some really colorful animation and is a harmless, fun treat of a movie that combines live action with CGI, similar to the “Alvin and the Chipmunk” and recent “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies.
The younger ones will really enjoy the design of the Easter Bunny’s candy factory. The factory really reminds me of the Wonka factory in a way and its vibrant, colorful design is a major highlight for this movie. All of the character designs for the CG characters, especially the Pink Berets and the small, fluffy chicks, do look adorable and can easily appeal to the younger viewers.
While some of the humor in “Hop” may not really be too appealing with adults, the younger ones will likely enjoy the slapstick humor and visual gags, such as how E.B. can make jelly beans. There’s also plenty of humorous banter between Fred and E.B. that children will like, including a fun moment where Fred tries to hid his rabbit friend from his sister which also leads to a few slapstick moments.
Now, there are some gags that will go over the younger ones’ heads that adults will probably get a kick out of, such as E.B. mistakenly thinking the Playboy Mansion is a sanctuary for rabbits and bunnies and a cameo from David Hasselhoff. There’s even a scene where E.B. wonders why the Hoff isn’t surprised by a talking rabbit and Hoff’s response is his “best friend is a talking car.”
The 2011 movie also primarily conveys messages about following your dreams,
embracing responsibility and defining your own destiny rather than adhering to parental expectations. It also explores themes of family duty versus personal passions, which is included in the overall plot where E.B. wants to drum and not want to take over the family business.
“Hop” is a commercially successful but critically panned hybrid live action/animated movie from Illumination that serves as a serviceable, albeit formulaic, Easter holiday comedy for young children.
MPA: Rated PG for some mild rude humor (runtime 95 minutes)
Initial release date: April 1, 2011
Streaming services: HBO Max/various PVOD services
Hop (2011) brings product placement to new levels with 92 different companies earning spots in the film, including: Holiday Inn, Krispy Kreme, Lindt, Kraft Foods, The Hershey Company, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Kodak, Hallmark, HMV and Burger King.
This is Illumination Entertainment's only live-action/animated hybrid film so far
The legend of the Easter Bunny grew out of German Christian traditions but was popularized by the Brothers Grimm.
The third film in 2011 to cross the $100 million mark, after Rango (2011) and Just Go with It (2011).
E.B. was designed by Peter de Séve who created a lot of the Ice Age (2002) characters.
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