20260512-20180406-0-63598362
Critic's Rating: 3.0
Story: An adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s classic story, 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit', this film follows the antics of a naughty rabbit hoping to lay siege on an old farmer’s vegetable garden.

Review: This live-action/animated film is an ode to the generations of readers who have grown up reading Potter’s simple tale about the antics of a mischievous rabbit. Peter Rabbit (voiceover James Corden) along with his triplet sisters — Flopsy (voiceover Margot Robbie), Mopsy (voiceover Elizabeth Debicki), Cotton-Tail (voiceover Daisy Ridley) and cousin Benjamin Bunny (voiceover Colin Moody) are a happy quintet, who are perpetually on a mission to raid old McGregor’s (Sam Neill) tempting vegetable patch. His neighbour, Bea (Rose Byrne) is a painter, who dotes on the rabbits and keeps a watchful eye on them. When a tragedy brings McGregor’s great-nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) to the house, he has no idea what he is up against. As the rabbits try their darnest best to send him packing, Thomas gives them a tough fight unknown to the kind-hearted Bea who finds herself falling for him.

While the animation is limited, Peter and his woodland friends are cute, and the quaint English countryside has been captured fairly well. Actor-comedian James Corden, giving the voiceover of Peter Rabbit, doesn’t quite live up to expectations — it often comes across like his character is trying too hard to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. And it is this overenthusiasm that doesn’t always connect with the audience.

There are several funny moments though — for instance the face off between Peter and Thomas evokes laughter as you find yourself torn between rooting for the rambunctious rabbit and the exasperated landowner. The supporting characters are fun — Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail and Benjamin often walk away with the cutest lines in the movie. Thomas and Bea as the couple falling in love may not showcase a lot of chemistry but are passable. Director Will Gluck does a decent job and the script, although not robust, will keep children — the primary target audience for this film — engaged and entertained. The film will find few adult takers but with vacations on in full swing, this is an ideal summer watch for kids.
Summary / Analysis

Spoiler alert! Please do not read the following plot summary if you have not seen the film.
The film opens with Peter Rabbit (voice of James Corden) attempting to raid old McGregor’s (Sam Neill) vegetable garden along with his woodland friends. These include Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Pigling Bland (voice of Ewen Leslie), and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (voice of Sia) and Peter’s family — cousin Benjamin Bunny (voice of Colin Moody) and Peter’s triplet sisters — Flopsy (voice of Margot Robbie), Mopsy (voice of Elizabeth Debicki), and Cotton-Tail (voice of Daisy Ridley).
As the rabbits attempt to steal some of McGregor’s vegetables, he spots them and tries to hurt them. Just then the rabbits are saved by McGregor's neighbour Bea (Rose Byrne), who is an animal lover and painter. Her drawings of the rabbits are pretty but bring up painful memories since they reveal that Peter and his sisters lived with their parents until their father went into McGregor's yard and was killed before being made into a pie.

Peter goes back to McGregor's garden since he left his jacket there but McGregor traps him and prepares to finish him. Unfortunately, he dies of a heart attack. As his body is taken away in an ambulance, Peter invites all his woodland friends to McGregor's house since it is now vacant and they can eat whatever they want.

Back in London, McGregor's great-nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) works at a toy store and is a perfectionist. While eagerly awaiting a promotion, he is called in to speak to the store's general manager, who informs him that old McGregor died and his house goes to Thomas, who didn't even know he had a great-uncle. After learning that his sought after promotion has been passed onto another employee, Thomas starts to wreck the store and is fired. He decides to put the inherited house on the market, and build his own toy store.

Meanwhile, the animals are having a party in McGregor’s house and make a mess just as Thomas arrives. Next morning, Thomas starts to clean up the house and closes all the openings into the garden, much to Peter's dismay. Bea walks over to introduce herself and insists to Thomas that he leave the gate open for the rabbits to roam freely. She also gives him a pair of binoculars for bird-watching as a gift.

Peter recruits Benjamin to join him as they find a way into the garden. Thomas spots them, catches Benjamin and stuffs him into a bag. Thomas goes to dispose of him, so Peter and his sisters sneak onto his truck to rescue Benjamin. Thomas runs into Bea and gives her a lift home and Peter notices with jealousy that Bea appears to be growing fond of Thomas.

Thomas and Bea spend more time together, which upsets Peter because he always saw Bea as a mother figure. Peter enters Bea's painting room while Thomas is there, leading her to think that Peter and Thomas are getting along. When she's gone, the two start fighting until Peter accidentally uses a brush to paint over one of Bea's paintings. She gets upset and makes Peter stay outside.

The animals start to get back at Thomas by setting up rabbit traps in his bed as well as planting rakes and hoes for him to step on so that he hurts himself. In turn, Thomas sets up traps around the yard, including an electric fence he smears with peanut butter in case they are tempted. Thomas sets up dynamite in the rabbits' burrow to get them out. Later on, the rabbits attack Thomas in the garden by pelting him with vegetables until Flopsy gets him in the throat with a blackberry. Luckily, he had an epipen on him. Thomas then grabs several sticks of dynamite and lights them before throwing them at the rabbits. Bea can't hear because she's playing music and painting. Moments later, the detonator falls out of Thomas's pocket, and Peter picks it up to prove he was using explosives after he denies it to Bea. Unfortunately, they forgot about all the dynamite in the burrow, which causes the tree on top of it to fall on top of Bea's painting room. She is angry at Thomas for what he's done.

Thomas goes back into London and manages to get his job back after putting his house on the market. However, Peter feels terrible for what happened since Bea is upset. Peter and Benjamin head into town and locate Thomas at the toy store. Peter starts speaking to Thomas and apologises for what he did and asks for his help in getting Bea to stay. Thomas decides to form a truce with Peter and he leaves the store for good.

Back in the countryside, Thomas stops Bea just before she leaves in a cab and apologises for what he's done and says that Peter helped him get back. Bea doesn't believe him until Peter takes out the detonator from his jacket and hands it to Bea. She forgives him and the couple along with the animals head back to London where Bea makes illustrations for children's books, including a few stories on Peter and his friends.
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FAQs
  1. What is the release date of 'Peter Rabbit'?
    Release date of James Corden and Rose Byrne starrer 'Peter Rabbit' is 2018-04-06.
  2. Who are the actors in 'Peter Rabbit'?
    'Peter Rabbit' star cast includes James Corden, Rose Byrne, Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki.
  3. Who is the director of 'Peter Rabbit'?
    'Peter Rabbit' is directed by Will Gluck.
  4. What is Genre of 'Peter Rabbit'?
    'Peter Rabbit' belongs to 'Comedy, Animation, Adventure' genre.
  5. In Which Languages is 'Peter Rabbit' releasing?
    'Peter Rabbit' is releasing in English.