Peter Rabbit

Beatrix Potter is a punk rocker in this updated revenge epic that blends CGI animation and live action in its tale of the rebellious raids on McGregor’s garden. Narrated by Margot Robbie, Peter is voiced by James Corden, whose manic antics cause the old man McGregor to die – after all, the guy did turn Peter’s dad into a rabbit pie years earlier! Joined by an entourage that includes Mopsy, Flopsy (Robbie voicing again!), Peter’s cousin Benjamin Bunny, Miss Tiggy Winkle and Pigling Bland, the property is trashed in a wild frathouse shindig, prompting Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson), when passed over for a promotion, to relocate countryside to fix the place up before selling it. That is, until he meets his next door neighbor Bea (Rose Byrne) and decides to stay put, much to Peter’s dismay. What ensues is a trade-off of Coyote vs. Roadrunner-styled death-defying traps and tricks which have disastrous consequences. Where the controversy stems is the sequence where Peter and Benjamin slingshot a blackberry into Thomas’ mouth knowing full well that he has an allergic reaction that could be fatal. However, this movie has Peter and Thomas move beyond their squabbling and emerge as redeemed, responsible citizens able to overcome their flaws, and for that reason I loved it as much as I do Potter’s books.

[PG]