Hopping along

YES, it's that time of year again ... Easter. It's a seasonal holiday which is very popular with children in my native England and with many schools in the kingdom off from school too, parents are looking for suitable ways to entertain the children ... as they wait for a giant bunny to leave chocolate eggs for them during the night!

Seasonal films can be a real treat if they're made properly, but if they go wrong, it's often a disaster of the highest calibre.

Hop tells the story of EB, the heir to the Easter Bunny Empire. Even though the job only requires him to work one day a year, he has no interest in the family business and instead wants to be a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band (much to his father's dismay).

EB hits the open road to follow his dream but doesn't get very far. While crossing the street he gets hit by a car, driven by out-of-work slacker Fred.

Fred takes pity on the poor little bunny and decides to take him in until he feels better, and the pair begin a real 'odd couple' relationship. For starters (and quite rightly), Fred is amazed that EB can talk, and even more amazed that he poops candy.

As Fred struggles to cope with the world's worst houseguest, they both figure out that they have a lot of growing up to do.

Meanwhile, back on Easter Island, EB's dad is facing a revolt among his worker chicks, led by the disgruntled Carlos. During the revolt, there are some well-shot scenes involving ninja rabbits and some clever allusions to Fatal Attraction (to keep the adults interested).

I loved the 1988 classic Who Framed Rodger Rabbit, the first-ever movie to include live-action with animation. It was light-years ahead of its time and set the standard for a plethora of movies attempting to recreate its genius.

So, I always get excited about films of this sort ... even though, more often than not, I'm left disappointed.

As an adult (questionable description) I liked the animation in Hop but the script wasn't top of the pops, even British comedian-turned actor Russell Brand didn't stand a chance at saving this film from flopping.

Brand was a wise choice for the lead role and his whimsical portrayal of EB was akin to his live stand-up shows, albeit toned down dramatically for a young audience. His performance encapsulates his infectious energy, something that will surely go down well with kids, who are no doubt hopping around already.

Brand is not the only talented member of the cast, backing him up in the recording studio is Hank Azaria, Hugh Laurie and Gary Cole. Azaria is arguably one of the best voice-over artists and with such credentials as The Simpsons under his belt, his skills are much-needed in this film.

However, casting James Marsden was, in my opinion, a poor choice. His performance was flat, dull and did very little worth bragging about ... besides interjecting some human interaction with the CGI bunny!

You have to look at a movie like this from a kid's perspective. Yes, there are some funny parts and many youngsters will probably be really entertained ... but if you're over the age of 10, Hop fails to hit the mark. l Showing in Cineco, Seef II and Saar Cineplex