Peter Rabbit addresses the opposition of not only man and animal, but man and animation. The latter takes shape as the adorable and erratically charged titular Peter (voiced by James Corden) leads his sisters into a feud with Jeremy (Domhnall Gleeson), the long-lost nephew of the prior Farmer MacGregor who swore to wipe out the rabbits from his garden for good. Jeremy continues in his uncle’s footsteps but is caught up when the rabbits’ human owner, Bea (Rose Byrne, and loosely based on the Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter) captures his affections.

Thus the battle of good and evil becomes more complicated. Peter has his family to feed and his relationship with Bea at stake. Jeremy can’t stand the rodents, but pines for something new and real with Bea. Will Peter and Jeremy be able to meet in the middle?

Peter Rabbit is tremendously fun, not simply because it is silly enough for younger viewers, but because it contains nods and winks that parents will enjoy. The film also recalls what it is like waking up on a Saturday morning and watching old Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes reruns—or originals! Modernizing the film only seems to be able to bridge the old and the new, what we think we know about Peter Rabbit, and what can be.

It is worth mentioning for families, however, that the film contains a scene in which Jeremy consumes a blackberry, which he is allergic to. It is an act done on purpose by Peter against Jeremy. While it does not seem that the filmmakers intended this in a dark, violent way, some families may find this insensitive, since Peter sees it all more or less as a joke. This is a scene to be set aside, and to be discussed seriously with children, if necessary.

Dove is proud to award Peter Rabbit with approval for All Ages, but please read the content rating descriptions.