‘Peter Rabbit’ pretty, but violent
In the new “Peter Rabbit,” the animation technology is top-notch, but the gentle spirit of Beatrix Potter’s books is subsumed into a chaotic, violent mayhem, manically soundtracked to the day’s hits.
Will Gluck directs and cowrote with Rob Lieber this adaptation of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” the story of naughty rabbit Peter (James Corden), who can’t help but snack from Mr. McGregor’s garden. This version ups the ante significantly in the Garden Wars, especially when Mr. McGregor (Sam Neill) dies, and his fastidious nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson comes to Windermere. Thomas, hoping to sell off his uncle’s property to fund his own toy shop, finds the “vermin” have moved in. The photo-realistic animation by Animal Logic is truly breathtaking, especially in the first few moments of the film. The rabbits are extraordinarily lifelike, with their individual strands of soft fur and shiny eyes. When Peter hops into the arms of neighbor Bea (Rose Byrne) for a cuddle, it’s as if she’s holding the actual animal.
But those whiz-bang tracking shots are all put in service of a shockingly savage and brutal war between Peter and his crew (Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail, Benjamin Bunny) and the fussy Thomas. At first, Peter just wants to get at those sweet, sweet fruits and veggies. Then it’s simply a matter of proving he can, and ultimately, of displaced jealousy over Thomas’ budding relationship with Bea, whom Peter sees as a mother (she’s a version of a modernized Potter, talking to and painting her furry friends).
The impish Peter takes the feud entirely too far, and “Peter Rabbit” descends into a truly sadistic display of violence, as poor Mr. Gleeson is pounded, pummeled, battered, bruised, electrocuted and exploded at the paws of the brutal bunnies.
After the dust has settled, the lesson at hand is one of peaceful coexistence with the environment. But when a bunny misbehaves like Peter does, apologies are necessary all around. Perhaps even to the audience of the film.