Peter Rabbit: Film Review

As much as I love Domhnall Gleeson, I must admit that I didn’t like the look of Peter Rabbit much. The trailer really didn’t sell it to me, so I was very surprised to find that it was a fun family movie that I enjoyed immensely.

Peter (voiced by James Corden) and his sisters Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki) and Cotton-Tail (Daisy Ridley), along with their cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody), are always risking their lives to steal vegetables from Mr McGregor’s (Sam Neill) garden, so they are overjoyed when he dies. However, their celebration doesn’t last long as his nephew Thomas (Gleeson) comes along to fix up the house and sell it – only to find it has been completely trashed by animals.

It doesn’t take long before Thomas and Peter are locked in a war, setting traps for each other, and matters get even worse when Thomas falls in love with his neighbour Bea (Rose Byrne) and steals her attention away from her rabbit pals, leaving Peter jealous.

Gleeson comes from a comedy background but has made his name in dramatic roles so it was nice to see him return to his roots. He is hilarious and a gifted physical actor too – this role required so much energy and imagination, most obviously seen when he has a fight with an invisible rabbit. It also looked genuinely painful as he gets beaten up and attacked by various traps. Thomas isn’t particularly likeable so I’m sure kids will find him getting really hurt quite funny.

Corden was the perfect choice for Peter as he has a cheeky quality to his voice, Robbie adopted a cute lisp and Ridley was feisty. The rabbits aren’t the only Beatrix Potter favourites though – Jemima Puddle-Duck, Jeremy Fisher, Tommy Brock, Mr. Tod, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and Pigling Bland all get a chance to shine, with the pig and hedgehog (voiced by Sia) being my personal favourites.

The film is very funny, with many laugh-out-loud moments, and the cast is wonderful. The dialogue is witty in places and the soundtrack is top-notch. The CGI of the animals was impressive although sometimes their relationship to a live-action character didn’t quite convince.

A lot of critics have been hating on Peter Rabbit, but I feel like I’ve seen a different movie. I came away feeling so happy and with a smile on my face. This is pure, good-natured fun that kids should enjoy.

In cinemas from Friday 16th March