Hopper and the Hamster of Darkness, the new animated film by Ben Stassen co-directed with Benjamin Mousquet is released this Wednesday in our dark rooms.
Recommended from 6 years old – At the cinema on February 16
• Once upon a time : Welcome to Featherbeard Kingdom! Young Hopper Chickenson is the adopted son of King Arthur, a famous rabbit adventurer. Half chicken / half rabbit, our young hero is himself obsessed with adventure, but his clumsiness often plays tricks on him.
When Harold, King Arthur’s brother, escapes from prison to find the Scepter of the Dark Hamster and overthrow his brother, Hopper decides to go after him.
With the help of his faithful servant Archie, a sarcastic turtle, and Meg, a skunk expert in martial arts, he embarks on an epic adventure. Together, this hilarious trio will face multiple obstacles and Hopper will try to come to terms with their differences to become the ultimate adventurer.
• What they will love: Hopper and the Dark Hamster is a true adventure film for young viewers. With his hat, leather jacket and whip, the half-rabbit, half-chicken hero is reminiscent of a certain Indiana Jones.
Accompanied by his 2 acolytes, as courageous as they are funny, Hopper will live incredible adventures and understand that it is his difference that makes him an exceptional being.
The feature film is co-directed by Benjamin Mousquet and Ben Stassen, to whom we already owe Sammy and its sequel, Bigfoot Junior and Bigfoot Family, The Magic Manor and Royal Corgi. With its polished and colorful aesthetic and its wacky characters, Hopper will fascinate spectators from 6 years old.
This initiatory journey carried out at a beating beat takes the heroes into the jungle to meet colorful characters: a band of square pigs who idolize a stone king or totally crazy phosphorescent hamsters, not to mention the hero’s terrible uncle.
On the dubbing side, Thomas Solivérès (Edmond, The Adventures of Spirou and Fantasio) lends his voice to the hero, Chloé Jouannet (Infidèle, Derby Girl) doubles Meg the skunk while Nicolas Maury (Ten percent, Boy Chiffon) embodies Archie, the turtle .
• What may worry them: Adopted by the King when he was a baby, Hopper is a rabbit like no other since he has feathers and chicken feet. At the start of the film, the young hero, mocked by the other children, feels rejected and decides to hide his differences in order to be accepted.
The fact that Hopper feels rejected can worry the youngest but quickly the children will understand that it is thanks to his differences that the hero saves the kingdom.
Harold, the uncle of the hero and villain of the story, is reminiscent of the frightening Scar from The Lion King. He wants to take the place of the King and get rid of his troublesome nephew.
• What they will keep inside them: That you have to cultivate your differences instead of wanting to fit into a mold and look like others. In addition to being a true adventure film, Hopper is an initiatory journey on the quest and acceptance of oneself and one’s differences.
The young spectators thus gradually integrate the idea that the differences of others do not make them less adapted beings and that one should not make fun of others and even less devalue oneself. A great adventure film about tolerance.