Hoppers Gave Me Hope  

Anyone remember that cow documentary that got super depressing and nihilistic because humans were mass farming and destroying the planet? Or, you know, when Bill Nye lost his absolute mind on screen because nobody was listening to the fact that we were destroying our planet at an alarming rate?

I took a class in school years ago, and in one of the lectures, we discussed the topic of learned helplessness. Basically, that class looked at how certain types of messaging, especially when it came to environmentalism, didn't work because it was either too depressing: the end of the world is coming and there isn't anything we can do about it; or, it put total accountability on the individual, which made them less inclined to do anything about it. Coincidentally, around that time, Don't Look Up was released, which perfectly summarized what I learned in school. Which is my long way of saying: nothing will ever motivate anyone to do anything about anything.

But then, I watched Hoppers, and it gave me hope.

I didn't think that a movie about a girl and robotic beaver AI technology would be successful in motivating people to care about the environment, but it did so in a way that made environmentalism feel realistic and achievable as opposed to idealistic and naive. Growing up, attending school, it was ingrained in us that our voices matter and that we need to make change. However, stepping out into the real world poses a myriad of challenges and impossibilities of making that happen. Personally, I've treaded that line for a while, grappling with what counts as activism or to what extent I can make change. Over time, that ambition has congealed into this mass of cynicism and hopelessness. Hoppers, believe it or not, reminded me that fighting to protect our world, that standing up for our beliefs, isn't actually that outrageous. It works as the perfect narrative to help combat that hopelessness. Mabel fails and makes mistakes, but there is a silver lining. There is a way forward for everyone. Change can happen. It just takes some time and learning.

*No spoilers, I swear.*

I was surprised by how careful and intentional the movie was with creating a story that was both idealist and cautious. The first thing that the movie did right was make Mabel a young undergraduate at her university with a dream to make a change. I think the movie also deliberately made Mabel a very typical undergraduate, one who wasn't on any scholar's list or like super-duper smart or anything. Instead, she was a very real character, struggling to maintain her grades and her coursework while also aspiring to leave a mark. That choice, alone, in my opinion, targets two specific things: firstly, it makes Mabel relatable. Like every other student, she is worn down by her academic and life responsibilities. Secondly, it highlights the perception surrounding academia and activism. She's initially seen as this overly-hopeful, in-over-her-head, naive kid mostly driven by her emotions and passion. Everyone around her can see her drive for change, but they also see how she is missing real-world context. Her impulsivity, in the end, enables her to take the drastic measures needed to pursue what she believes in, but it also teaches her the importance of considering the long-term ramifications of her actions.

With kid movies, there is always this push for "anything is possible," and although Hoppers didn't exactly erase that sentiment entirely, it did emphasize the reality of what going after your goals could actually look like. For Mabel, nothing happens easily. Her battles with the Mayor at first aren't taken seriously; everything she does to help the animals comes at a cost that affects the wildlife and community she is trying to protect. Obtaining her goals requires active learning and recognizing that nothing is ever black and white. Everything is interconnected, and so each choice that she makes has to include every kind of community and their cultures and stories and histories.

Another thing that really made Hoppers shine is how it integrated so many relevant topics but kept the storyline simple. We had AI and we had politics as well as environmentalism, but the movie never felt overburdened by these themes. I think, in part, the many different topics worked because they felt relevant to the main story. Even the AI didn't feel like a separate storyline, which I think is the point. The whole conversation around the robot technology was that it presented the potential of solving a real-life solution; however, Mabel's use of AI highlighted the way it could also fail and pose danger to the community. Here, again, the movie's decision to showcase both sides of the issue teaches everyone about moderation and learning. It's not about choosing one side and saying no to the other; it's about recognizing the nuances.

The end, too, I think is super important. I won't tell you what it is because I want you to watch the movie, but what happens to the professor and her research demonstrates yet another reality that is often overlooked (we can chat about it in the comments once you watch it). And, yet, no matter how realistic the narrative gets, no matter how disappointing the outcome might be, the movie never loses its optimism.

Spoiler Here - not really, but kind of?

Speaking of optimism, the most idealistic part of the movie was the way it showed Mabel and the Mayor's relationship developing over the course of the movie. Don't worry– unless you expected romance– they don't fall in love, but their connection does fulfill the enemies-to-friends trope. Maybe it is my cynicism towards politicians in general (obviously Mamdani is exempted), but changing a politician's mind, especially if the original plan is already underway, is factually impossible.

But, to be fair, a lot of things in this movie are fantastical. It is an animation, after all.

Nonetheless, allowing Mabel to succeed even though her plan doesn't exactly go accordingly is a pretty progressive choice.

At the very least, the movie reminds us that even the smallest kind of change matters.

So, if you're in theatres and you want to watch something lighthearted and hopeful, Hoppers is a must. Who knows? Maybe you'll decide to plant some trees afterwards. Or pet a beaver.

Or fight Carney. #enemiestolovers

[Tell me what you think in the comments below!]