Peter Rabbit

RATING: C

Here's a bit of an odd idea for a movie: making an adaptation of a children's series that doesn't seem to have stood the test of time in terms of popularity--at least not as well as some others, anyway. And then make it one of those live-action/animated CGI hybrids, because people just love those. And insert in lowbrow humor too, because people also just dig that. And make the adaptation of Peter Rabbit a very loose one... I guess? My memories of those Beatrix Potter books from quite early childhood are so far removed I really couldn't say myself. But I will have to trust the word of those who actually are fans, and who say it was not a faithful adaptation. 

For those who aren't familiar with the source material (and it may not matter anyway): this movie centers around a small clan of rabbits who like to steal vegetables from the local gardener's garden. But then the gardener kicks the bucket and his great-nephew General Hux--uh, I mean Domnhall Gleeson--stays in the place temporarily. And becomes friends with the other local human Bea, who adores the rabbits--despite the obvious mischief they get up to. And eventually, Peter decides that the younger farmer MacGregor has "got to go." Insert the words of Bugs Bunny here: "Of course you realize this means war!" 

In this movie's 90-minute runtime, about 30 to 40 minutes of it are basically a cross between Looney Tunes and Home Alone as Peter and MacGregor try to outwit each other with traps, pratfalls, and slapstick comedy. These parts are actually pretty funny at times. The headline gag that comes to mind is when the rabbits somehow re-wire an electric fence so that the house door knobs are electrified (don't ask how)--and the result is MacGregor (or someone else) flying across the room. More than once. Since this is live-action, it looks painful, but it's still pretty hilarious. 

If the majority of this film had been this way, it might've been a little better. But for the most part, this movie's still pretty dumb. It's not as bad as some people make it out to be, but it's still not that good either. Part of the issue is that some of Peter's antics are a bit much over the top. But there's also the fact that this movie can't decide whether it wants to be more serious or not. Some of the scenes which try to make Peter more sympathetic or which try to build up MacGregor and Bea's relationship would suggest the former. Given the concept this movie bases itself around, it would've worked better as the latter; giving us more of the slapstick cartoonish humor (minus some of the more over-the-top lowbrow stuff) and also more of the almost Deadpool-esque narration we get at times from Daisy Ridley. (Yup, seriously.) 

Another thing that doesn't help this film is that it feels like they're making stuff up as they go along at times--namely, when they decide without about 10 to 15 minutes left in the movie that MacGregor can suddenly understand the rabbits. Which also brings up the issue that the film ends a bit abruptly and without really much of a proper final act. Oh, and I should probably also mention the annoying pop/hip-hop soundtrack that crops up often. But I did like how a few times we had a flock of birds attempting to start a musical number--only to get interrupted, usually by getting mowed down by another animal. Again, more of the non-serious/self-aware stuff that this movie should've had more of. 

There's a few parts of this movie that are legitimately quite funny. There's also quite a fair share of dumb material. Again, the problem in part lies in the film being unable to decide whether it's serious or not. Unfortunately, it still doesn't hit all the right notes even when it's not being serious. There's a shadow of an actually fun comedy in here somewhere, even though this film doesn't have much right to be that good. But the kicker may be simply the apparent fact that it's not close to being a faithful adaptation, which may alienate the Beatrix Potter fans out there--and it's not like there's a ton of other people who were going to be watching this anyway.