Peter Rabbit is a 2018 live-action 3D film based on the character in the book titled The Tales of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. The film tells the story of Peter and his triplets, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and his cousin Benjamin Bunny, who live in a small town called Bowness-on-Windermere. Peter is voiced by James Corden, an English actor, TV host, comedian, and singer. The human characters in the movie are played by Domhnall Gleeson and Rose Byrne.
Synopsis
Peter and his siblings are friendly with Bea, a kind-hearted painter who loves rabbits and often paints them. On the other hand, Mr. McGregor, Bea’s neighbor, hates rabbits because Peter and his siblings often steal vegetables and fruits from his garden. Even Peter’s father was killed by Mr. McGregor while trying to take vegetables from his garden because Peter and his siblings were starving.
One day, Peter tries to steal vegetables from Mr. McGregor’s garden, and he is helped by his siblings. They almost succeed, but Peter is caught, and his blue jacket gets stuck in the wire. Mr. McGregor intentionally hangs the jacket as a trap, and Peter enters the house to retrieve it. Unfortunately, he is caught, and a struggle ensues. Suddenly, Mr. McGregor suffers a heart attack and dies. Peter and his friends have a feast, take all the vegetables, and even enter Mr. McGregor’s house. However, their happiness is short-lived as Thomas, Mr. McGregor’s great-nephew and the new owner of the house, returns.
Thomas is very organized and doesn’t like the messy state of his great-uncle’s house. He also doesn’t like Peter and his siblings and plans to get rid of them. Peter and Benjamin plan to sneak into Thomas’s garden, but they fail. Benjamin is caught and almost thrown into the river, but Peter’s siblings save him. Thomas drops a telescope given to him by Bea out of anger, and she breaks up with him. Thomas buys equipment to get rid of Peter and his siblings, and this causes Peter to declare war.
They keep fighting until the end when Thomas’s explosive device accidentally explodes, damaging Peter’s home and Bea’s house. Bea thinks that Thomas did it, so she leaves him. However, they are reunited later when Thomas returns, feeling guilty. Bea decides not to move, and Thomas’s dream of opening a toy store finally comes true. Peter and his siblings are now allowed to enter Thomas’s garden.
Adaptation and CGI
The Tale of Peter Rabbit story is relatively short compared to the film adaptation. The director, Will Gluck, and the screenwriter, Rob Lieber, made the movie more contemporary, with rapping birds and twerking rabbits. In addition, there is music from Rachel Platten and Vampire Weekend. Some viewers may find these adaptations not suitable for the story.
Despite this, the CGI in the movie is impressive, and the animals look real and believable. The movie successfully integrates the live-action footage with the elaborate animation of the rabbits, making the movie a visually stunning experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Peter Rabbit is an entertaining live-action 3D film suitable to watch with family and friends. The movie’s story is heartwarming, and the impressive CGI makes the movie visually stunning. The film is a perfect adaptation of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and has a contemporary twist to suit modern audiences. The character development in the film is significant, and the mix of humor and action make it a fascinating movie to watch.
