Peter Rabbit (2018) [Blu-ray]
Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline: You think you know him? Well ... think again!

Peter Rabbit, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers, now takes on the starring role of his own irreverent, contemporary comedy with attitude. In the film, Peter's feud with Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) escalates to greater heights than ever before as they rival for the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door (Rose Byrne). James Corden voices the character of Peter with playful spirit and wild charm, with Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley performing the voice roles of the triplets, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail.

Storyline: Based on the books by Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit (James Corden;) his three sisters: Flopsy (Margot Robbie,) Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki) and Cotton Tail (Daisy Ridley) and their cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody) enjoy their days harassing Mr McGregor in his vegetable garden. Until one day he dies and no one can stop them roaming across his house and lands for a full day or so. However, when one of Mr McGregor's relatives inherits the house and goes to check it out, he finds much more than he bargained for. What ensues, is a battle of wills between the new Mr McGregor and the rabbits. But when he starts to fall in love with Bea (Rose Byrne,) a real lover of all nature, his feelings towards them begin to change. But is it too late? Written by Jude Gordon

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, May 2, 2018 Peter Rabbit isn't much more than a regurgitation of The Smurfs. There aren't as many rabbits as there are Smurfs, they're certainly not blue, and the villain(s)'s got nothing on Hank Azaria's wonderful work as the bumbling wizard Gargamel (but one of them does command a Star Destroyer, so there is that), but the movies are really quite similar, anyway. They're both live action/digital hybrid constructs; both are based in idyllic, natural locations; and the characters at one point wind up out of their element, tackling life in the big, bad city to accomplish a critical task. They're both family friendly films but at the same time a little crude and crass, this one a bit more so than The Smurfs. Peter Rabbit earned a share of of criticism on its way to theaters, particularly considering its epically terrible trailer, but it managed to beat expectations with critics and audiences alike, earning a lukewarm reception and a substantial box office take. Sequel, anyone?

Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Corden), his cousin Benjamin (voiced by Colin Moody) and his sisters -- Cottontail (voiced by Daisy Ridley), Flopsy (voiced by Margot Robbie), and Mopsy (voiced by Elizabeth Debicki) -- live in the English countryside in a burrow underneath an old tree that sits near a bountiful garden that's cared for by an elderly gentleman named McGregor (Sam Neil). The rabbits make it their mission to eat as much of his food as they can, but McGregor fights them tooth-and-nail every step of the way. When Peter finally gets the best of him -- or his heart does, anyway -- it would seem that nothing can stand between the rabbits and the garden's bounties. What they didn't count on is another McGregor, Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson), who inherits the property just as he's been fired from a good job at a London-based toy store. He arrives at the home with the intention of sprucing it up and putting it on the market, but plans change when he meets his new, beautiful neighbor, Bea (Rose Byrne), a friend to rabbits and a thriving artist. The two hit it off, but when Thomas is introduced to Peter and his family and finds himself at war with a warren of rabbits, the possibilities of a relationship with Bea grow ever more dim with each new skirmish in the war for the carrots.

Peter Rabbit is, of course, based on the classic children's book written by Beatrix Potter and first published well over a century ago. The movie, no surprise, does not remain entirely faithful to the original story, though it weaves in enough goodness (such as making a Beatrix Potter stand-in character a focal point) to engender a modest amount of goodwill. That said, Will Gluck's film is as much a product of contemporary society as it is its gracefully aged and cherished source material. This film adaptation will not be remembered as fondly as the original tale. It lacks heart, its humility is forced, and the filmmakers would rather joke about heart attacks and severe allergic reactions rather than discover a soulful center for the movie. To its credit, it's not as crude as it could have been, as it seemingly wants to be, but this is not a particularly enjoyable movie with ample high notes. There voice acting is stale, the human characters are uninteresting (even Bea), and the battles between rabbits and people have no tangible, emotional center to them. The movie amounts to little more than a collection of scenes made of recycled gags (human and animal frightening one another and proceeding to scream like children), rapping birds, fast action, and digital wonders. It looks good and sometimes even plays well enough to leave the audience smiling, but there's just as much groan-inducing humor and vacuous plotting to make the movie as much a pain as it is a pleasure.

For this reviewer, Peter Rabbit elicited almost no emotional response. There were a few fun moments, a few cringe-worthy moments, but overall it was a zero-sum movie watching experience. It's an empty film, aiming for charm and humor but never really finding either in ample quantities. There's no sense of direction or purpose, the plot feels stale, and the blend of modern amenities with the story's simple charms never really works. It's not horrible, it's not great. It could do many things better, and it could have been much worse. It's a movie that accomplishes little more than filling a space on the release schedule with a familiar name and enough digital might and the promise of humor to draw in the requisite number of views to turn a tidy profit. For a mindless escape, it's not bad, but there are many, many better family films out there. Sony's Blu-ray does deliver very good video and a solid 5.1 lossless soundtrack (Sony continues to reserve its Atmos tracks for UHD releases). Supplements are scant and of little value. Worth a rental.

[CSW] -1.3- Tagline: "You think you know him? Well...think again!" If you're an adult and are looking for the traditional Peter Rabbit of Beatrix Potter fame, you will be disappointed. The only things traditional are the names of the rabbits and the fact that much of the story takes place in a garden. The rest is totally reimagined, and the result is a good story for children. I wasn't very impressed with the slapstick humor as I somehow found it too juvenile. This is a live action/animation mix, with the rabbits (Peter and his family) and other animals being animated; and the humans being live action. The animation is stunning, some of the best work I've seen; and the acting - both live action and voice - are top drawer. Mr. Jeremy Fisher / Mr. Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) is superb as the homeowner, Thomas, whose home and garden are invaded; and Bea / Jemima Puddle-Duck (Rose Byrne) is equally good as the neighbor, Bea, who loves the rabbits and falls in love with Thomas too...the name Bea was taken from Beatrix Potter. James Cordon as Peter; Daisy Ridley as Cottontail; and Margot Robbie as Flopsie (and the narrator) all deliver fine voice performances too. This movie gets a four star rating as a kids' movie. I give it one star because although the animation and acting were great I just never developed a caring for any of the characters (I'm not sure why but I didn't). If you do fall for the characters you will enjoy it a lot more than I did.
[V4.5-A4.0] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box did little to enhance this movie.


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