The newest children’s film, “Hop,” is about a bunny and a man struggling to find their place in the world. I expected it to be the same as “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” since both were directed by Tim Hill. But “Hop” wasn’t nearly as predictable.

The bunny, E.B., voiced by Russell Brand, is soon to be crowned the next Easter Bunny. But E.B., who lives in the Easter candy basket factory cleverly located on Easter Island, would rather play his drums than take on the responsibility of delivering candy to the entire world.

Angered by the lack of support he receives from his father, the current Easter Bunny, E.B. decides to run away to Hollywood, leaving his father with a scheming and power-hungry assistant.

In Hollywood he meets Fred, played by James Marsden, a laggard still living with his parents who is forced to move out and finally find a steady job. The unlikely pair are soon thrown into each others worlds after a brief car accident and help each other find their futures.

Being a fan of mixing live action with animation since watching “Looney Tunes Back In Action” as a kid, I loved the connecting of the two in “Hop.” The weaving of animation with live action was practically flawless, especially since animation has significantly increased in quality and become more realistic in the last several years.

Oddly, Russell Brand was chosen to voice the rebellious young bunny and despite doing the part justice, James Marsden as Fred earned even more laughs. Hands down, the most hilarious character, and my personal favorite, was the conniving chick, Carlos. Carlos, the Easter Bunny’s second in command, decides he has been overlooked far too long, and unites the other chicks in the Easter factory to execute a brilliant coup d’etat.

The extremely talented voice artist from the Simpsons, Hank Azaria, voiced him with a Latin accent and extreme charisma. Special appearances by David Hasselhoff and the Blind Boys of Alabama were valuable, but potentially lost on the younger demographic for whom Hop is meant.

From ruining Fred’s job interview and destroying the house Fred’s supposed to be housesitting, to putting on a “ventriloquist” performance during Fred’s little sister’s play, E.B. and Fred create plenty of chaos and laughter alike. The film is a fine comedy with an abundance of lighthearted wit.

I only wished we could have seen more of the Pink Berets, the trio of cute bunnies that made up the Easter Bunny’s squad of guards. Armed with knock-out darts and a catchy theme song, they were sent to return E.B. to Easter Island. They were only featured in a few scenes to serve their purpose, but I thought they had the potential to be a stronger presence in the film.

Overall, Hop was an adorable story about finding what you’re meant for and making the people important to you proud. The wacky and charming humor makes it a fun movie for both children and adults, but it is essentially a children’s movie. There’s no doubt that Hop is the perfect family film to get into the Easter spirit this year.

Aran Kirschenmann, 15, is a contributing writer for the Bellevue Reporter and a freshman at The International School in Bellevue. You may reach and connect with her on her Facebook page “The Young Critic.”