154. Peter Rabbit; movie review

PETER RABBIT
Cert PG
95 mins
BBFC advice: Contains mild threat, comic violence

"That's not normal!," exclaimed the little girl three rows behind us. "And that's not normal, either," she earnestly told her dad.
So rapt was the under-five in Will Gluck's Peter Rabbit that she had replied directly to a question posed on the screen at Birmingham Cineworld.
And in this one moment, Gluck's job was done. The little lass clearly believed in a talking rabbit.
Visual effects company Animal Logic have done such a great job that, within a few minutes, the audience forgets that Peter and his friends are computer-generated.
Gluck is clear that his movie is not based around a particular Beatrix Potter story but adapts the concept of her characters.
It stars James Corden as the voice of Peter, a cheeky young buck who leads astray his sisters (Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki) and cousin (Colin Moody).
He has his eye particularly on a nearby garden, and gives the runaround to its crusty old owner (Sam Neill).
Meanwhile, the grump's jolly neighbour (Rose Byrne) is a friend of the rabbits but also becomes pals with Mr McGregor's eccentric young nephew (Domhnall Gleeson).
The joy of Gluck's film lies in the confrontations between humans and rabbits which are energetic, bordering on frenzied.
But it is not as clearcut as Peter and his chums simply making fools of their humourless adversaries.
Indeed, the pathos is as effective as the humour with plenty of moral messages about the environment, friendship and not making quick assumptions.
However, children are not cajoling their parents to take them to watch Peter Rabbit because of its values - they want to see talking animals having fun - and they get it in spades (sometimes, literally).
As said, the animation is superb and we rather liked Gleeson and Neill as the angry McGregors and Byrne plays it nice and light as Bea(trix?).
Did Corden convince as the voice of Peter? We were not so sure - but the abiding memory of this film was that it was charming family fun.

Reasons to watch: Charming family movie
Reasons to avoid: James Corden's voice grates after a while

Laughs: Five for us - many more for the kids
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: The rabbits from the waist down
Overall rating: 8/10

Director quote - Will Gluck: "We have honoured Beatrix Potter. If you like Beatrix Potter and love Peter Rabbit, this is still for you."

The big question - How do they achieve such quality animation?

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