This image released by Disney shows Mabel Beaver, voiced by Piper Curda, left, and King George, voiced by Bobby Moynihan, in a scene from the animated film “Hoppers.” (Disney/Pixar via AP)

Disney/Pixar’s “Hoppers” is a new CGI-animated comedy that succeeds immediately by leaning into Mabel Tanaka, a great new character, and making her the focus, not just someone reacting to a novel concept.

Mabel is a little girl who takes comfort from her Grandma, a source of calm in Mabel’s chaotic life. When Mabel becomes a teenager, she carries her Grandma’s wisdom and drive with her as she turns to activism and being a positive influence in her community. Mabel’s efforts to protect a stretch of land that is inhabited by beavers and scheduled to be developed take a wild turn when a scientist reveals a technology that allows Mabel’s consciousness to exist inside a robot beaver.

“Hoppers” is full of charm and funny bits with the moving prelude as good as the family-centered scenes in “Coco” (2017). The vocal performances from the actors are top-notch, and the poignant moments sneak up on the audience as do the biggest laughs. I love the villain, a politician named Jerry, who is voiced by Jon Hamm, and has a wake-up morning montage that gave me one of the biggest laughs of the year.

In terms of an original story, however, it comes up short.

The upfront acknowledgement that the story is lifted from “Avatar” (2009) goes down easy. However, it’s never fully explored or satirized beyond the basic concept. Does the suit ever run out of power? Does it impact the psyche of the user? Those lingering questions are raised but never answered.

The science fiction on hand becomes so illogical that it’s best to take this as a fairy tale. Disney films (animated and live action) have explored the relationship between humankind and forest creatures as far back as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), Disney’s first feature. It’s a shame its latest film with Pixar, which has a refreshing lightness and a touching ode to elderly grandparents, is only skin-deep in its ideas. A quality it shares with “The Princess and the Frog” (2009) is how it similarly requires its central character to vanish into the guise of a forest creature for almost the entire film.

As a portrait of activism, “Hoppers” winds up in a stalemate over what the overall point is, as the central conflict between the politician and the protester is handled as a draw.

Also, the conflict between nature and technology has already been given master-class telling with “The Wild Robot” (2024). Still, even with a lack of fresh ideas or themes to explore, “Hoppers” has humor and heart. It’s easy to see where the story has to go, but the moments that lean into Mabel’s complications and inner journey are among the best.

A throwaway bit where the central villain declares his hatred for each specific group of species had me laughing so hard the kid sitting next to me worried that there was something wrong with me. Also worth reporting is that “Hoppers” is rated PG, which is most likely because the main bad guy has a scary appearance that might be too much for children under 10 years old. The rest will love it.

The last Pixar film to hit a TKO was “Elemental” (2023) and “WALL-E” (2008) before that. A problem with the recent Disney/Pixar output is an overabundance of product, as well as too many sequels.

It’s refreshing that, instead of worrying about creating another disposable and interchangeable piece of content for Disney+ or setting up a new franchise, the latest from the Mouse House stands alone as a metaphor for when young people find a cause worth fighting for.

Mabel shares a quality I love about Lilo (as in “Lilo & Stitch”), which is that she’s refreshingly strange, extremely complicated and all heart. “Hoppers” presents a richly textured protagonist who is familiar, real and relatable, which is one of the best things about it.

(3 out of 4 stars)

Barry Wurst II is the founder of the Hawaii Film Critics Society and teaches film classes at University of Hawai’i Maui College.