Beatrix Potter’s beloved creation Peter Rabbit gets a modern take with a twist featuring Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson and directed by Will Gluck. Here’s my Peter Rabbit review.

Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Benjamin (Colin Moody), Bea (Rose Byrne), Peter Rabbit (James Corden) and Cottontail (Daisy Ridley) in Columbia Pictures’ PETER RABBIT.

About Peter Rabbit:

In Peter Rabbit™, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers now takes on the starring role of his own contemporary comedy. In the film, Peter’s feud with Mr. Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) escalates to greater heights than ever before as their fight to gain control of McGregor’s coveted vegetable garden and the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door (Rose Byrne) extends to the Lake District and London.  James Corden voices the character of Peter with playful spirit and wild charm, with Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Daisy Ridley performing the voice roles of the triplets, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail.

“Peter Rabbit” is a good movie. Now I’m barely familiar with the source material other than a few storybook sessions with my mom and my siblings and that was decades ago. So while I know the character by name and popularity, I know jackshit about how he operates and his character. So to my surprise, I actually liked this new movie from Sony Pictures.

So where do we start with this Peter Rabbit review?

How about the fact that we got two Star Wars vets in it. Daisy Ridley (Rey in the current SW trilogy) is a sister of Peter Rabbit while Domhnall Gleeson who plays Thomas McGregor, the new owner of the place where Peter routinely steals veggies from. There’s Rose Byrne’s character B who is cleverly inserted in the picture not just as a love interest for Gleeson’s character but also as a HUGE shout out to the character’s creator Beatrix Potter. Who am I kidding, the studio made damn sure that the movie would get the necessary star power it needs to go and make a buzz. James Corden, Margot Robbie and Elizabeth Debicki are some of the names that would pop.

The fun element here comes in droves. Whether you like fourth-wall breaking moments or actually anthropomorphic comedy, there’s a lot here in “Peter Rabbit”.

Be a (Rose Byrne) and the rabbits with Old Mr. McGregor (Sam Neill) in Columbia Pictures’ PETER RABBIT.

And while the movie is marketed as a fun movie, it does shows a dark and gritty side. So I don’t know how you can explain how a bunch of bunnies are kicking human beings asses as well as (A) bunny getting killed. It’s twisted like that but they downplay it a bit.

There’s a bit of music which was a nice touch for the film and they come in the form of the birds that live in the same community where Peter and his family reside in.

The romance aspect is serviceable enough, if you’re into the whole “kilig” factor in your family movies. There’s no chemistry between Bryne and Gleeson though, so don’t get your hopes up.

Speaking of Gleeson, the dude is a tremendous actor and while he’s playing a simple guy with a one-track mind, he can still deliver an impressive performance. Snarky and cruel while at times almost dimwitted, this McGregor character isn’t flat and dry. But still comes off a bit lame.

Peter Rabbit (James Corden) with Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) with Flopsy (Margot Robbie) and Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki) looking inside Bea’s studio in Columbia Pictures’ PETER RABBIT.

Peter Rabbie Review Verdict:

Peter Rabbit is a good old family film with modern sensibilities while using a decades old, iconic character. Children will love the characters (my daughter did) and even adults will have something to nibble on while watching the movie. CGI work done here is good and definitely keeps audience glued to their screens for the better part of the film.

7/10