Review: PETER RABBIT

PETER RABBIT 
(FAMILY/COMEDY) 
★★★
Directed by Will Gluck
Screenplay by Rob Lieber and Will Gluck
Screen Story by Rob Lieber and Will Gluck
Based on the characters and tales of "Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Sam Neill, Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Featuring the Voices of: James Corden, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki, Matt Lucas, Sia, Ewen Leslie
Rated PG for some rude humor and action.
93 minutes
Verdict: Insane, irreverent as hell, and yes, occasionally obnoxious, Will Gluck's version of Peter Rabbit is more Tex Avery than Beatrix Potter, but also painfully funny in a "burn it all down" sort of way. 

An adaptation of some of the classiest of classic children's literature rendered in a CGI-heavy live action hybrid produced by Sony Pictures Animation with an irreverent attitude and packed to the gills with over-the-top slapstick action and ribald-for-PG humor, the new family comedy PETER RABBIT is practically presenting itself loudly and proudly as a target for critics.  In contrast to the recently critically acclaimed adaptation of another classic British children's character in PADDINGTON 2, a charming, classy and utterly good-natured story about an implacably polite little bear plucked from the storybooks, PETER RABBIT is crass, arguably mean-spirited and thoroughly chaotic, with a character who can easily enough be described as an narcissistic asshole while essentially thumbing its nose at its source material.  I like both, and frankly, it would be tough to argue that PADDINGTON 2 isn't the superior example of filmmaking, but you've got to admire the hutzpah of a movie like PETER RABBIT.  Exposed buttcracks are threatened with carrots.  Characters are violently electrocuted by voltage that sends them flying through the air.  Lit sticks of dynamite are hurled haphazardly at bunnies.  Sam Neill drinks dirty water from a bird bath.  Domhnall Gleeson nearly drinks clean water from a toilet bowl with a straw!  People die!  Dead bodies are jabbed in the eyeball!  What more do you want?!

Will Gluck, whose resume includes surprisingly good raunchy comedies like EASY A and FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, as well as the lackluster updated family musical ANNIE from 2014, directs and co-wrote the screenplay with ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY scribe Rob Lieberman, and seemingly complacent to the fact that a live-action/CGI Sony production must lean toward the A-list celebrity voice casting and low brow humor of family movie dreck in the post-SHREK style, they've decided to go all in and take that to an all new level that's shockingly brazen and even a bit refreshing.  Just when you think they've gone as far as they could possibly take it, they go farther.  I'm not saying it's some sort of surprise masterpiece, and there are moments scattered throughout that feel like the kind of crappy family movie that Sony Pictures Animation has more often been responsible for in the past, but it's like a comedy that throws so many jokes at you that if something is groan-worthy one second, something else hits the after a couple more seconds, so you rarely have to dwell on the crap.

The titular Peter Rabbit in this version, a mostly photorealistic CGI creation from the tech wizards at Animal Logic (HAPPY FEET, THE LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE and THE LEGO MOVIE, among others), is voiced by James Corden, whose performance is the iffiest part of this whole affair and the source of most of those eye-rolling obnoxious moments.  Peter, who wears his deceased father's blue jacket, has a mischievous streak a mile wide and enjoys raiding the cantankerous farmer Mr. McGregor's (Sam Neill) garden on a regular basis, partly for the fruits and vegetables, partly for the glory, and partly for the simple pleasure of tormenting the farmer who caught and killed his father and ate him in a pie.  On these escapades, Peter typically enlists the reluctant assistance of his cousin Benjamin (voiced by Matt Lucas) and his bickering triplet sisters Flopsy (voiced by Margot Robbie, who also narrates), Mopsy (voiced by Elizabeth Debicki) and Cottontail (voiced by Daisy Ridley, best known as Rey from the Star Wars franchise).  McGregor would love to catch Peter and put him in a pie as well, but the rabbits are defended by his benevolent, animal-loving neighbor Bea (Rose Byrne).  One day, when McGregor keels over from a heart attack, Peter tells all the animals that he killed the old farmer and they take over the house, but the triumph is short-lived, when the farm is inherited by the younger McGregor, Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson), who hopes to sell the estate and use the money to open a toy shop, but first, Thomas decides to get rid of the animals, quickly devolving into a manic feud with Peter and his family, escalated further when Thomas develops a bit of a relationship with Bea, much to Peter's jealousy.  That's right: there is a romantic triangle between a human woman, human man and a rabbit.

The "realistically" rendered rabbits are weirdly eye-catching, especially when they make exaggerated reaction faces that should not be on rabbits, and as irritating as Corden's smug delivery can be at times, all three of Peter's sisters are consistently funny.  The comedy is often lowbrow, but rarely lazy, and often falls into the realm of Tex Avery-style antics, with hints of fourth wall-breaking, not-so-subtle references to drug use and sex, not to mention lots of dynamite and explosive destruction, and there's a good few nut shots as well.  Yes, it's pretty contrived the way that Domnhall Gleeson's character finds himself in a situation where he's guarding his crotch with his hands and is being forced to raise his hands in the air, but as he does so reluctantly with the knowledge which the audience holds as well that several bunnies stand at the ready to pummel his nuts with berries and other produce, only the most ardent curmudgeon could stifle even a snicker.  If a movie's aim is to entertain children, which is an easy enough task for most movies with talking animals, PETER RABBIT succeeds in this, but if the aim is to be funny, then PETER RABBIT succeeds at that too, and it's all too willing to sacrifice any respectability to do so.  If you thought from the previews that it looked stupid, congratulations, you're right, it is very stupid.  But I also laughed my ass off, so maybe I should be embarrassed.

                                                                                                                                                                           Images via Sony