Peter Rabbit Movie is an entertainer alright, and it does try to resuscitate the age-old story by Beatrix Potter which is great, to be frank. Long lost tales should show up every now and then because I highly doubt Millenials would ever hear about them otherwise.
Sadly this new adaptation by Will Gluck isn’t really as humorous as it was supposed to be if you look at it with a critical eye. How can the James Corden voiced bunny not be funny? Everything boils down to the writing, of course.
There are so many moments in the flick that will give away the fact that the writers were trying really hard to deliberately make the conversations funny. Unfortunately, they didn’t know they were simply worsening things.
Peter Rabbit movie is ridden with so many flaws that you can’t stop yourself from shaking your head every now and then. Apart from the bad writing, even the direction fails to impress you. In a world where live action-computer animated movies, like Ted and Paddington, are doing so well, the rabbit fails to win the race yet again.
A Movie For Kids
Looking at the bright side, which we should always practice, Peter Rabbit movie amuses you nevertheless and brings a smile to your face. It is supposed to be a light movie that should be enjoyed for its characters (I am afraid there are only a few that are memorable). The presence of great actors Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson even though how comic they become at times, their characters have been made really brittle.
But I get it. It is supposedly made for children. If you take that quotient into account, you will realize that kids are going to love it. And they absolutely do. But if you take into consideration minor aspects of the flick, you will begin to see so many pointless things lurking that it is downright painful.
In the animation front, it does great. The CGI of Peter Rabbit is just brilliant. Expressions are very careful capturing even the minutiae of fauna. They have merged the frames quite meticulously, and the flow seems proper.
The Plot of Peter Rabbit Movie
Peter Rabbit, his cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody) and sisters Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki) and Cotton-Tail (Daisy Ridley)are on constant war with Mr. Joe McGregor (Sam Neill) when the latter meets a heart attack.
Peter Rabbit, now claiming that he has murdered him, invites rest of the jungle creatures to McGregor’s, having a party rampaging his garden. It is when an uptight estranged nephew of the deceased McGregor, Thomas played by Domhnall Gleeson, inherits the house and shows up at their gates when the war between the rabbits and Thomas McGregor begins.
The War (Spoilers)
Thomas used to work in Harrods from where he was fired for losing his temper when he wasn’t promoted – a McGregorian curse.
Bea (Rose Byrne) is a next door neighbor to McGregor’s newly inherited house. Thomas’ intent is to sell the house and open a rival shop next to Harrods. For which he begins to build a wall to keep the menacing mongers out, even though Bea objects to it. Having a soft corner for her makes hurting those rabbits a difficult task even though on one occasion he nearly drowns Benjamin, PR’s cousin.
Bea and Thomas begin to fall in love and that’s probably from where the movie starts to become a tad indigestible. Up until this point, the movie feels great but it begins to lose its validity when you see the rabbits constantly involved in the life of what Thomas and Bea do. It’s like a cinema that they are constantly watching like they have nothing else to do. Their routine life changes from stealing vegetables from Thomas’ garden to becoming all about what Bea is doing.
I miss being helpful. A parent or grandparent comes into this shop looking for a gift for the child they love. I ask a few simple questions and know exactly what they need. I love helping people get what they want. Especially when they don’t even know that they want it. Those are the best.
The real war begins based upon that element of jealousy that Peter Rabbit houses and transforms into something ugly. When the intent of killing Thomas takes another form, Thomas returns the favour by filling their tree-house with dynamite. One freaky accident avalanches erupting the tree which falls on Bea’s art studio. Seeing through the cover, and judging Thomas for who he really was, she ends the relationship.
Going Back to London
Thomas goes back to London to work for Harrods again while Bea is ready to leave her house. Peter Rabbit feeling bad for what he did since he was responsible for the detonation that caused the tree to erupt, decides to visit London to apologize to Peter and bring him back to stop Bea from leaving. Benjamin and Peter both end up at Harrod’s and convince him to return.
In the nick of time, Thomas returns apologizing to Bea, whilst Peter Rabbit comes forward to show that he was the one who had detonated the dynamite and that Thomas was innocent. A snobbish couple walks in to live in Thomas’ house since he had already sold it to them despite Thomas’ refusal. Peter Rabbit and his friends then show them that the house was infested with living creatures and that it was simply unlivable.
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The Roots
The intelligent bits lie in how the bookish elements are preserved without blemishing it. Like the part where Peter Rabbit asks the portrait of his parents about what needs be done, and they reflect Peter’s imagination. Also, the part where they show how Peter Rabbit’s dad had died was brilliantly illustrated reviving the book once again.
Peter talking to Thomas as the latter admits how highly improbable it was, is that subtle hint at human fancies that winks at wishful thinking and what makes human brain all the very much interesting.
The Final Verdict
Peter Rabbit movie is alright if you look at it from a child’s perspective. But for a purist, it might not be. For kids, it helps them put a face to a story, understand that a character as interesting as him ever thrived in a book.
Check out other movie reviews where Gleeson was a part of.
Peter Rabbit
Pros
- Great for your kids
- Domhnall Gleeson as Thomas McGregor
- Revives Beatrix Potter
Cons
- Not for Pedants
- Impoverished Writing
- Not that humorous
