So, I just got back from viewing the movie, Peter Rabbit, and having absolutely no knowledge of the movie beforehand, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! Did I like it? No, but it was harmless. Do I recommend it? Again, no, not really…
Does everyone know the stories of the famous Peter Rabbit? I mean I never really read them as a child, but I knew that the stories existed. I have found that these harmless, silly tales were meant for a very young audience, say age 2 to 5. Is this a demographic made up of typical movie goers? Nope! So, why make a movie, then?
The movie is done in the style of The Smurfs, or Alvin and the Chipmunks, with talking animated creatures and real actors to play off of them. Based on those two comparisons, one would think this was already set up to be a disaster. Well, not exactly. The acting and animation are done fine, nothing special, but especially considering the targeted age, one would give it a solid pass. However, they do have an animates scene at the beginning done in the same drawing style you see in the books. And had the movie stuck with those softer tones, perhaps the story would have also taken a softer (and in my opinion more appropriate) approach. Although, Sony isn’t exactly known for their amazing films anyway…
But, wait a minute. This film was rated PG?
Why?!?!?!
I mean, the answer to why is clear. There is plenty of humor in there that would go right over a child’s head, and there is also a rather morbid reoccurring plot-point of death. But why put these things in the film in the first place? What audience do you think you’re appealing to? Older children don’t care about Peter Rabbit, and adults/parents just want something that will distract and not mortify their young children on a rainy, Sunday afternoon. Having an all-star cast, full of extreme personalities, like James Corden, just felt like too much for this small film. (disclaimer: I actually love James Corden and others from this cast, I just don’t think they were absolutely necessary to achieve a Peter Rabbit storyarc.)
Finally, let me just dissect this storyline fluff that produced the PG rating. Starting with the humor…
Okay, I laughed a few times in this movie, I admit! Not out of irony, or disbelief, just straight up laughter! Without going into spoilers, there was a scene with a violin that almost made me fall out of my chair I was laughing so hard. But here’s the thing, I saw this movie with my two-year-old nephew and six-year-old niece. I never heard a laugh out of either of them! Even in the obviously put in their for children humor, didn’t get a laugh out of my difficult to please niece and nephew. Another adult I was with was laughing along with me, but two other adults mostly rolled their eyes throughout the film. Okay, so it’s a specific type of humor, expected from a Sony animated movie!
But, now to address what I found to be the number one problem of this movie…
Again, without going into details, there was a lot of plot surrounding death! Even the edgiest PG animated movie I can think of, never depicted death in so many ways. What were the creators at Sony thinking when they put in that whole concept? I get it, the movie is PG, and therefore should be more mature than The Lion King. Newsflash people, The Lion King scared many young children for life! (Yes, pun intended, and yes including myself!) But here is where you fall short, movie. Where are your fun musical numbers to ease the tension, and have light-hearted fun? Now, this is where it moderates between children and adults.
I like the soundtrack for this movie! Fun songs that remind me of when I was younger, are always going to put a smile on my face. But here again, I ask you. Who is the audience for this movie? Children want new music, or at least music that they can recognize. Instead of singing and dancing along to “Hakuna Matata,” children are just sitting there wondering why some animated birds are moving their beaks to an old pop song after one character “kills” another character.
So, in total this movie really lost itself in trying to appeal to multiple audiences. Young children will be confused, adults will be bored and/or worried about what their child made of this movie, and older children (the demographic usually reserved for PG ratings) just won’t go see it, because Peter Rabbit is a story for little kids!
The Story Sitter 