NEW YORK (OSV News) – Although the environmentally-themed animated comedy "Hoppers" (Disney) has everything to do with animals, it has little to do with rabbits. Instead, the title refers to an imaginary technology that allows humans to infuse their consciousness into robots disguised as various fauna and to communicate with real animals.

The main person doing such "hopping" throughout the film is nature-loving college student Mabel Tanaka (voice of Piper Curda). Mabel's story is almost entirely free of problematic content. But the negative view of parents put forward in screenwriter Jesse Andrews' script as well as some misbehavior on the part of the youthful protagonist may give grown-ups pause.

Although at odds with her folks, while still a schoolgirl, Mabel forms a deep bond with her gentle grandmother (voice of Karen Huie). Grandma teaches her to be attentive to the natural world and to appreciate its calming influence. Together they pay frequent visits to an idyllic local glade.

So when now-teenage Mabel learns that her hometown's popular but irresponsible mayor, Jerry Generazzo (voice of Jon Hamm), plans to despoil the area by constructing a highway through it, she puts up a determined battle to stop him. But her petition drive goes nowhere, leaving her frustrated and angry.

With completion of the thoroughfare looming, desperate Mabel accidentally discovers that her biology professor, Dr. Sam (voiced by Kathy Najimy), has secretly developed hopping. Despite Dr. Sam's admonitions, Mabel insists on using the untested technique to occupy a mechanical beaver and immediately sets off to rally a host of local critters to thwart Mayor Gerry's scheme.

While doing so, she befriends a genuine beaver, King George (voice of Bobby Moynihan), a wise and kindly creature whose title refers to the fact that he serves as the sovereign of all the mammals in the region (each class of animal has such a ruler). Unfortunately, Mabel doesn't always follow her new pal's advice, leading to plot complications and emotional upsets.

Director Daniel Chong's entertaining movie highlights the value of honesty and the adverse consequences of manipulating people -- or nonpeople, for that matter. Mabel eventually learns to be less hasty yet the narrative at least winks at her headstrong early actions, thus blunting, to some degree, the impact of her later conversion.

As for the obvious theme of sensible stewardship, this can be understood from a Christian perspective, though the phraseology dealing with it sometimes sounds more akin to Buddhism, stressing that human beings should think of themselves as essentially integrated into the world around them. This might be a good starting point for an intergenerational discussion of the topic.

The film contains characters in peril and at least one slightly crass expression. The OSV News classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. - - -CAPSULE REVIEW"Hoppers" (Disney)Environmentally-themed animated comedy in which a nature-loving college student (voiceof Piper Curda) uses a secret technology developed by her biology professor (voice of Kathy Najimy) to infuse her consciousness into a robotic beaver so she can rally local animals (their kindly leader voiced by Bobby Moynihan) to oppose the plans of her hometown's irresponsible mayor (voice of Jon Hamm) to despoil a nearby glade by constructing a highway through it. Along with the obvious message about sensible stewardship, director Daniel Chong's entertaining film highlights the value of honesty and the adverse consequences of manipulating people -- or nonpeople, for that matter. Yet a negative view of parents (the protagonist bonds instead with her grandmother, voiced by Karen Huie) and the narrative's implicit acceptance of the heroine's initially headstrong and misguided behavior may give grown-ups pause. Characters in peril, at least one slightly crass expression. The OSV News classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.- - -CLASSIFICATION"Hoppers" (Disney) -- OSV News classification, A-II -- adults and adolescents. Motion Picture Association rating, PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.- - - John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X @JohnMulderig1.