"Peter Rabbit" Movie Review

Peter Rabbit was a film that I didn't have high expectations for but I thoroughly enjoyed. There are times when mixing CGI animals with live people is a mistake waiting to happen, but Peter Rabbit pulled off the effect nicely.

The film follows the rascal Peter Rabbit, his three sisters, and their cousin as they try to take the garden they love from the new neighbor, the great nephew of their lifelong nemesis.

I think what I enjoyed most about the film was how the voice cast worked so well together. Daisy Ridley was the standout performer, bringing crazy fun to her character and providing a good chunk of the humor. James Corden was brilliant as Peter, breathing life into the beloved storybook character. As far as the live cast goes, Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson had a wonderful chemistry which made the film that much more enjoyable.

Probably the only real problem the film had was its repetitiveness. While much of the film was creative, there were times when gags would be reused two, sometimes three times. It could get a bit vexing but not enough to hinder the film as a whole.

I do have to give credit to the writers for throwing in a perfect fourth-wall break that relates to current society in a major way. It was a funny moment, sure, but it made its point. While kids probably won't catch the joke, adults will sure get a kick out of it.

In conclusion, the film was a surprisingly delightful family comedy that many critics are unfairly panning. There's no politics or agenda pushing or covert sexual humor. It's a fun family-oriented film that knows what it is and keeps it that way. If anything, Peter Rabbit is what animated family films should be. I give the film a 3 out of 4.