Hoppers review: Pixar’s latest is an instant classic and a must-watch
Jason Wright has been blown away by the latest film from Pixar Studios.
I’ll be honest, when I walked into the cinema to see Hoppers, I was just looking for something light. I wanted a bit of fun, a way to switch my brain off for a couple of hours, and a pleasant animated story to round off the evening.
What I actually got was a complete emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, I genuinely cried, and by the final act, my heart was actually pounding. I don’t say this lightly, but I’m confidently placing this in my top five Pixar films of all time.
An immediate connection
You can always tell how a film is going to land by the energy in the room. Before the film started, we had trailers for Toy Story 5, the Mario Galaxy sequel, and The Magic Faraway Tree. The audience—full of families, kids, and adults—was silent. No reaction at all.
Yet, within the first five minutes of Hoppers, the entire room was already “awwing” and laughing. It opens with the protagonist, Mabel, as a child alongside baby animals, and it instantly builds that warmth and emotional investment Pixar is famous for. It doesn’t rely on flashy spectacle; it builds empathy from the get-go.
Mabel: A protagonist with heart
Mabel works as a character because she isn’t perfect. She has flaws and she makes mistakes, but her intentions are always good. That balance is exactly why you end up rooting for her.
The film gives her the space to grow without rushing her arc or flattening her into a “quirky” animated trope. By the time the stakes rise in the climax, you care deeply about her because that tension feels earned.
Classic Pixar storytelling
There are absolutely no pacing issues here. The second act doesn’t drag, the emotional beats land naturally, and the tension builds perfectly. To be honest, this felt like “vintage” Pixar—the era of Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and WALL-E.
It feels like a story that was actually authored by people who care, rather than something designed by an algorithm for brand maintenance.
The verdict
I didn’t just smile through this; I properly laughed. The pivot from comedy to heart-wrenching emotion was handled with total precision. While the story feels completely finished and satisfying, I already want to see Mabel again—not because of a cliffhanger, but because I’m just not done with her character yet.
This isn’t just a “good” film; it’s top-tier territory, sitting right up there with the studio’s strongest work. If you’re heading to the cinema in Telford this week, make sure this is at the top of your list.
I went in expecting mild fun.
I walked out giving it a Wright Seal of Approval without hesitation.
Confidently.
Wright Seal of Approval
Top 5 Pixar
Highly Recommended
This is Pixar at its emotionally intelligent, character-first best
