User reviews

Love Beatrix Potter's truly charming and beautifully illustrated stories, there are some talented actors on board and have a soft spot for family films. Wasn't all that enamoured by the trailers and advertising, which dampened my expectations a little but saw it anyway as 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' is one of my favourite Beatrix Potter stories.

Found 'Peter Rabbit' to be much better than expected. It is not perfect and there are better family films out there, but it was hugely entertaining and charming that is ideal for kids and adults. It has endured, and will continue to endure, the wrath of those expecting a straight up adaptation of the story. Understandable, as the title and advertising made it seem as if it was going to be with a modern twist. This is misleading, it is not a straight up adaptation and wasn't trying to be from my personal perspective (more of a modern day follow-up) which is very likely to be wrong. It is best judged as a standalone, on that front there is a lot to enjoy.

Oh, and the allergy bullying controversy does seem as if it has been blown out of proportion for a scene that was over very quickly and didn't seem that insensitive or distasteful, or at least to me.

Sure, 'Peter Rabbit' does have the odd joke that is a little too repetitive, a notable one being with Pigling Bland. Some of the second half is predictable where it is easy to see where it's all going to go, some of the supporting characters are underused (there could have been more of Jeremy Fisher and Jemima Puddle Duck for examples) and maybe there could have been less narration. Regarding the last point though, it is delivered beautifully by Margot Robbie and captures the storybook nature of some of the storytelling very well.

However, even with the witty modern setting, the quaint nature of Potter's stories is intact and loved the affectionate references to other Potter characters in other stories of hers and it even includes the style of her illustrations at points.

'Peter Rabbit' manages to be enormously entertaining, a vast majority of the jokes do hit the mark and they are very funny to hilarious. Especially the scene-stealing cockerel, Mrs Tiggy Winkle and the electric fence and Peter's sisters, while the very physical and increasingly violent comedy that Domhnall Gleeson is given to do is a lot of fun and didn't feel gratuitous, cartoonish or mean-spirited.

It's not just about the comedy. There is a heart too with well-meaning messaging and the whole stuff with Peter's parents and past was very heartfelt. There is a natural charm with the character interaction, and the relationship between Thomas and Bea is very sweet. All the characters engage, the soundtrack is suitably peppy, everything goes at a lively pace and can find little if any fault with the cast. Gleeson makes Thomas more than just a standard clichéd archetype that he appears to be at first and manages the difficult physical comedy and the difficult task of interacting in real life with nothing with ease. Rose Byrne is effortlessly charming without being sugary or without substance, her chemistry with Gleeson and the animals is sweet. James Corden is a likeable Peter and Robbie and Daisy Ridley are particularly colourful of the supporting voice cast. Didn't recognise Sam Neill.

The visual look of 'Peter Rabbit' is one of its biggest pleasures. It is very colourful and picturesque with beautiful photography, that is never garish or flat, and there is a seamless blending of CGI and live-action. The CGI itself is simply great and is so well blended that one can't tell that it's CGI.

Overall, very enjoyable and much better than expected. 8/10 Bethany Cox

While Peter Rabbit does have a twist from the original content, it's certainly a family adventure, full of fun characters & great visual effects, while still sticking to some of it's roots.

My whole family really enjoyed Peter Rabbit. We loved the music- the parodies alone were worth the price of admission! We loved the acting and voice acting! James Corden was so great as Peter Rabbit. And we loved the laughter most of all! A fun comedy! Check out blogs and reviews to figure out if it is right for your kids. There was definitely some rude/bathroom humor- but it was not too heavy. A lot of the adult humor was very tactfully hidden. You do not need to take kids with you to laugh in this movie! It's a cute, comedy adventure! Good for the whole family! Check out our review and discussion guide at DownTheHobbitHoleBlog!

Brought my kids who had read the Peter Rabbit books before and they love the show. Jokes and plots are simple for kids to understand.

If you've seen the trailers, then you know what you're getting into. For those who are going to watch this due to nostalgia, this isn't based on the Beatrix Potter books. They borrow the names of the animals and Bea herself (and the love interest isn't even named after her real life husband). This movie is a rough and tumble comedy more akin to the 3 Stooges than anything resembling a heart-warming child's movie. If anything, I would rate this more of a PG-13 vs PG since I wouldn't bring any small child to watch this due to promotion of misbehavior, theft, rudeness, bullying, and destruction of property.

As an adult, I enjoyed it for what it was. The animation was very seamless and well done. The love story was bit over the top, but fine for a romantic comedy. And I did laugh at various points in the movie.

"Peter Rabbit" (PG, 1:33) is a shocking movie to contemplate. It's shocking to think that it took more than a century for the mischievous bunny of British scientist, illustrator and writer Beatrix Potter's early 20th century children's books to get the big screen treatment. Ah, but it was well worth the wait.

In this live-action adaptation, the CGI Peter is voiced by James Corden. He leads his complicit, but more cautious little sisters, Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki) and Cottontail (Daisy Ridley), along with their clumsy cousin, Benjamin (Colin Moody), on regular raids into the garden of mean old Mr. McGregor (an unrecognizable Sam Neill). Peter is not just mischievous, he's selfish and reckless, often tempting danger in his pursuit of his ill-gotten vegetables. McGregor is in a constant battle with Peter, but just when it looks like the Old Man may have finally gotten the upper hand, he keels over.

The country estate then passes to the meticulous and ambitious London department store supervisor, Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson). Thomas travels into the country to fix up the place so he can sell it and finance his dream of opening his own toy store. He soon finds himself in his own cat and mouse... er, human and rabbit... game with Peter. Doing her best to protest Peter from Thomas (much as she did with Peter's late great uncle) is next-door neighbor and animal lover Bea (Rose Byrne). As Thomas starts to fall for Bea, their blossoming relationship complicates his attempts to be rid of Peter once and for all.

"Peter Rabbit" is a fun family film. The battles between the McGregor men and Peter get kind of mean-spirited at times, but the violence is mostly of the cartoon variety. The script by Will Gluck (who also directs) and Zareh Nalbandian is mostly well-written and cleverer than your average anthropomorphic animal tale. The voice cast is very good, Byrne's winning presence naturally enhances enjoyment of the film and the usually serious Gleeson proves surprisingly adept at comedy, especially the physical kind. Peter's personality and imperfections remind me of Surly Squirrel in the "Nut Job" movies, but Peter's a little bit sweeter. In the end, despite some uneven storytelling, Peter learns some lessons, as do the main live-action characters, and Movie Fans get a pretty enjoyable hour and a half at the movies. "B+"

I went into the theatre with no expectations and not having read nor heard of the children's books. And I'm glad I did.

Peter Rabbit was a hoot... My kids loved it and that is what's important. It was funny, endearing and well-done. My expectations were very low and I left pleasantly surprised. There were a few low/slow points and my kids started to loose interest, but overall, it was very enjoyable.

I came home to read other IMDB reviews and was surprised at some of the hate. Most of which came from people who hold the old stories in such high regard. I have come to learn that if you are going to make a children's movie nowadays, you have to make it a bit more modern. A bit faster paced, better animation, funnier characters, quick-witted, a little more action with a few more surprises, etc. If you don't, it won't hold the attention of today's kids.

It breaks my heart that my kids don't have much interest in Charlie Brown, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, and some others I grew up with. But when you compare it to all the other stuff out now, you just can't compare. They won't watch it long. I don't blame people for being upset that the new Peter Rabbit may not follow the story and animation of the old, but I do appreciate they took the story and characters and updated it to something mine will watch and love.

Peter Rabbit is a story I grew up with so I had to see this movie. I had no expectations. I don't think I've laughed throughout an entire movie like I did watching this on a very long time. People commenting about the allergy scenes need to lighten up! -- and that's coming from someone with allergies -- that put a damper on my life practically daily. Seriously, it's such a minor part of the movie, laugh, don't laugh, and move on. The movie has many good messages: knowing when to fess up and admit you did wrong (imagine that! Accountability!), making apologies (woah, again with owning up to your actions!), the impotance of friends and family, and more! Also, a great cast and a fabulous soundtrack.

I have to say i wasnt too sure about going to see this, but one wet Sunday morning i took the plunge and i have to say i was pleasantly surprised.

Good mixture of Animation and Live action scenes with some good old fashioned slapstick added.

Peter Rabbit is one of my favorite kid's movie of the year so far. It's an adorable film that is perfect for the whole family. I love this film because of the acting and CGI.

Peter Rabbit follows Peter Rabbit, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton Tail and Benji as they get into mischief by taking vegetables from the garden next door. They take the vegetables from Mr. McGregor who tries desperately to get them out of their garden by using explosives and even an electric fence. The rabbits hang out with loveable characters like Bea. She helps the rabbits by giving them shelter when it rains and helps them get food.

Throughout the movie, we see great acting from all the actors and voice actors in the film. I love how Domhnall Gleeson acts like a soulless man with the rabbits who he is trying to kill, but with Bea, he acts like in he's love. I found that Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) really does seem to be in love with Bea. I also like how the voice actors portray the rabbits. Each one of them has a personality that is well portrayed in their voices and actions. For example, Cotton Tail is a memorable character because of how wild and reckless she is. The way Daisy Ridley voices her shows how wild she can be.

The CGI in this film is extraordinary. The animals look so realistic. If you really focus on the rabbits, you can see the individual hairs on them. You can also see it on the pig character that hangs out with the rabbits. During a fight sequence with Peter and Mr. McGregor, they actually look like they are fighting and not like he is fighting a fake bunny.

I rate this movie 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 7 to 12.

Reviewed by Carla P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Yes the second half of the movie is full of clichés and most of its jokes are silly and repeated, but the movie is a sweet adventure that has surprisingly smart slapstick humor, gorgeous 3D animation and good voice acting specially from James Corden who voiced the titular character.

This film tells the story of a group of rabbits who tries to take over their neighbour's garden.

The first two of three minutes look rather cute, but very soon I really detest those rabbits to the core. The rabbits are horrible, violent aggressors who keep on doing heinous acts to humans. The crooked acts are at times even lethal. Forcing someone to ingest an allergen is definitely not funny, in fact downright vicious. How can people find these acts funny? What if children imitate these lethal acts, thinking it's fun? This film glorifies bullies and aggressors. "Peter Rabbit" is a deplorable, absolutely horrid film that deserves universal condemnation.

My friend and I went - we don't even have kids, we just remembered the books from when we were little. There were a few times that all of us (it was a weekday so there were pretty much just adults there) burst out laughing! The only people who wouldn't like this are the ones who have to have raunchy sex or highly violent scenes to keep them happy.

It was a cute story that they told using the familiar characters and if you like London there is some great shots in there, too!

I won't go into the eye-roll moment with the blackberries. They may as well complain that Peter has no pants.

'PETER RABBIT': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A CGI animated/live-action kids film, based on the classic stories by Beatrix Potter, about a rebellious rabbit causing mischief for a new farmer. The movie was directed by Will Gluck (who's also helmed such hit youth comedy flicks as 'EASY A', 'FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS' and the 2014 'ANNIE' remake), and it was scripted by Gluck and Rob Lieber. It stars Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and Sam Neill (in live-action roles), as well as the voices of James Corden (in the title role), Daisy Ridley, Margot Robbie and Elizabeth Debicki. The movie has received mostly positive reviews from critics (unlike it's trailer), and it's also a hit at the Box Office as well. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.

After years of feuding between a mischievous rabbit, named Peter Rabbit (Corden), and an old farmer, named Mr. McGregor (Neil), the farmer suddenly dies due to a lifetime of bad (non-vegan) eating habits. Peter and his friends think they finally have the home, and garden they love, to themselves. Then Mr. McGregor's son, Thomas (Gleeson), inherits the land and moves in. A new bitter rivalry quickly emerges between Peter and the new farmer. It's complicated though, by a beautiful animal lover who lives next door, named Bea (Byrne), which Peter and Thomas both desperately want the affection of.

I found the film to be a lot more amusing than I thought it would be; I wouldn't say it's funny exactly, but it's definitely amusing. The animation is beautiful, and the animal characters are really lovable and cute. Peter is of course obnoxiously mischievous, and Thomas McGregor is a little too unlikable as well, but the film really does play like a live-action cartoon (the type that I used to watch a lot as a kid). I don't think it's probably that faithful to the classic kids' stories though, although I don't remember them that well, but I think the film is probably a good enough modern (live-action) update. I don't usually enjoy most kids' movies either, but I had a good enough time watching this one. I think it probably helps to be an animal lover though, like I am.

This is not for Beatrix Potter fans, but it is a funny movie! And the music is good too! My almost 10 year old daughter was laughing out loud - a lot! Me, I just love Rose Byrne, so I was happy too!

This movie is seriously funny. There are so many parts where I couldn't stop laughing. I'm an adult man and this may be my favorite movie.

Ignore negative reviews about the bullying scene. I mean the rabbits are mortal enemies of the gardener so yeah they are going to do whatever it takes. People need to stop being so sensitive about the whole allergy issue.

This movie will make you laugh, cry, and wish you could watch it again. Take your kids, take your mom, take a stranger..... they'll laugh too !!!

I loved this movie. i think it wouldve turned out terrible but it had a degree of self awareness that i think made it actually pretty clever

i saw paddington 2 too (a week apart?) and while i think it was the better movie, i liked peter rabbit a lot more, if that makes sense. paddington 2 was just this really delightful british children's animation, peter rabbit was just this weird movie that felt so stitched together but it had the weirdness i needed

if anyone was wondering the plot is basically this: this unhinged toy salesman starts banging beatrix potter. (im not kidding, shes actually beatrix potter. except it takes place in modern day for no real reason, it wouldve been really cute if it were old timey and stuff) except beatrix potter is like the patron saint of rabbits and stuff and the guy and the rabbits really don't like each other, the entire movie is them trying to kill each other in heinous ways. this is either the worst plotline or the best plotline ever depending on how you look at it, i really enjoyed it.

i was mentally doing shit when i saw it in theatres though, i think that kind of compounded the fever dream effect it had. it sucks that all the attention it got (even before it even came out) was so negative, i just wanted to say that it brought me cheer in a shitty time.

ALSO it kind of stinks that rose byrne (she plays beatrix) didnt get to do a lot, its mostly about the rabbits and the dude duking it out. theres a plotline where her "serious" art is supposed to be ass awful, while her drawings of the rabbit family are beautiful. idk if that was some kind of jab at beatrix potter, i guess it was supposed to be like a metaphor for how beatrix potters art wasnt taken seriously or something in society at the time because it wasn't "serious" even though it was beautiful?? later when peter and friends are throwing dynamite and shit its revealed she didnt hear them because of the loud music. shes paint-dancing to this ass awful song (its called "fight song" by idk), and its exactly what a crazy lady who listens to Ted Talks and drinks kombucha to "boost creativity" would do. idk why i found that so funny lmao

but also thomas (the toy salesman guy) is also related to the old mcgregor that was the original antagonist.. nevermind the fact that shes dating her villain OC in this movie.. but he and peter show up at the end of the movie and convince her not to leave the country and give up painting. so i guess its like supposed to be her creations stopping her from giving up on her art? or maybe im looking into it too hard?

as far as adaptation approaches go its a really weird way to pay tribute to beatrix potter, but i like how they did it. its really meta and weird to have the real life author in their own story but i like the surreal ness of it and they made it kinda cute. i know other movies have done it before, but its not really done often (the little prince movie kind of did it before in this reverse framing device but the old guy who tells the story to the girl is never explicitly antoine de saint-exupery)

other note: when it came out people were saying stuff about beatrix potter spinning like the earth in her grave. Supposedly, and i mean i'm not sure, according to james cordon, the beatrix potter estate rejected feature film adaptations by multiple large film studios. countless times over the decades, even offers by the walt disney company. and i shit you not, THIS movie's script, was the only one that got the blessing of the actual beatrix potter estate. maybe an assload of money, maybe they just never took the whole peter rabbit thing as seriously as everyone thought

TL;DR: domhnall gleeson facing off against peter rabbit, beloved british literary icon, while "steal my sunshine" plays

BRA-VO. This is a BRILLIANT film, very sweet and heartfelt. Not sure why there has been so many bad reviews and a lot of self-righteous comments--but they need to check their politics at the door, and for goodness sake--just have fun, people. Can't we just enjoy it? Why does it have to be so complicated? I can think of a million other things that are much worse--than this Peter Rabbit film, which by the way, there is nothing wrong with Peter Rabbit 3.0. Go see it. You're going to love it, as much as I would've felt the original author would have too, as this is based on her tale for kids, but it is technically a sequel--as you will understand when you see it. First off, they are rabbits, and rabbits are mischievous by nature, when they are bored or there is food at stake. They are also a bit affectionately demanding and territorial as they felt with Bea. Within the context of the film, rabbits don't understand what the implications of allergic reactions could be for humans--they are, yes, rabbits. The humor is just hilarious, and it works well coming from farm animals. This is CGI/A vs. real live humans. It kept me engaged throughout. I saw this one with my daughter and we both laughed so much and so hard -- isn't this what it is all about? a positive experience? One that brings you closer with those you are with? I cried, I laughed, I cried so hard I laughed, and laughed so hard I cried -- and this is how I rate/gauge film I watch -- by how it moves me and the positivity it inspires in me; it felt good to be reminded that I was still human. I just loved, loved, loved this film. I recommend it. This one will definitely make it into my collection once it is released in media format -- and not many make it in. The soundtrack is super amazing too--I can't stress that enough. They hit it on the head with this one. A TRUE STORY OF HUMBLENESS AND REDEMPTION. Your heart will melt into a big puddle--hands down. No one is paying me to write this--I give it 10 Gold stars. I want to see Peter win next year at the Oscars. A TOTAL GEM.

Well, this took me by surprise. James Corden, controversy, CGI animation, all the horrific ingredients to create a mass produced animation just to make money. Much to my dismay, I succumbed to the cuteness of the animated wildlife and came out filled with enjoyment. The heroic yet mischievous Peter Rabbit desires to rule his neighbour's garden of fruit and vegetables, however after the sudden passing of the old man his equally mean yet more nimble nephew takes control and tries to catch Peter and his family. Due to the realistic blend of human actors and CGI characters, this will consistently be compared to 'Paddington'. Whilst that is a much better film overall, don't dismiss this as a worthy comparison. Immediately (literally 18 seconds in) Peter bounces on screen, already infiltrating your senses with his quirky British wit and loveable personality. Was extremely unsure about Corden's voice acting, but actually it was decent and thought he suited the role very well. The dialogue between the other animals varied between sarcasm, puns and occasional emotional reflection. Some jokes hit, others misfire completely, yet the deliberate balance of wit and slapstick humour enables both younger and older audiences to enjoy this. Domhnall Gleeson was magnificent, showcasing his acting range with a more visually comedic prominent role which enhanced my susceptibility to the flick. Electric door knobs, blackberry slingshotting (don't we have other things to moan about instead? Come on) and a garden battle scene involving dynamite. One might call it 'Bunkirk'...or 'Rabbitsaw Ridge'...*cough* I'll leave now. I appreciated the original drawing animation harking back to Potter's beloved illustrations. Unfortunately my biggest gripe is how weak the story is. It's refreshing to see a low-key story, but the lack of peril and plot focus resulted in a story thinner than rabbit stew. Also, the over reliance of pop music grated on me. I understand the crass boisterous humour juxtaposes the source material, but resisting the film's spring is futile.

Like so many these days, evidently the holders of the rights to Beatrix Potter's books believe in "Anything for a buck."

This is a total travesty and rape of one the best loved characters in Literature. One can't help but wonder if many of the high reviews given this rip off are written by people who've never read the books or even heard of them. And the producers, writers, directors, and animators are guilty of a crime against literature.

Peter has undergone a complete personality transplant and the story is a lame, pure generic 2018 mishmash. What's next? Winnie the Pooh in a car chase movie?

Despite all the positive outcry from viewers on IMDb, the fact is English author Beatrix Potter would be dismayed with how they have handled her beloved characters. Mishandling the cast of characters by placing them in a mediocre story about a slapstick war between Peter Rabbit and Mr. McGregor's grandson. That isn't to say the film wasn't enjoyable. It was not without some good heart, the characters were amusing, the effects for the animal characters were spectacular, most of the humor was good and the performances by the cast was splendid. This is one of those things that feel so "sacred" it should not be taken and meddled with. Peter Rabbit is one of those properties that hold dear to the hearts of many and it should stay that way. Had the filmmakers sticked to the original tales, the appeal would have been more massive. The film doesn't contain much to go into deeply to critique for the plot is as basic as Peter Rabbit can get. That said, there isn't much to expect from a film like Peter Rabbit other than shutting your brain off to be entertained. This is why this reviewer is giving the film 6 stars for it's entertainment value and quality of the effects. Another positive aspect to mention is the gorgeous setting and background landscapes. All in all, this film had so much potential to be something special by Beatrix Potter's standards. An unfortunate missed opportunity.