Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness

Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness is a 2022 Netflix CGI-animated comedy movie. The titular character is a hybrid of a chicken and a hare. Hares are often mistaken for rabbits but are distinguished from rabbits by their larger size, longer ears, and longer hind legs. The film’s characters are all talking animals.

The film is based on the graphic novel of the same name. It opens with the title character narrating his birth as a young hybrid, and the stories of King Peter’s adventures. He dreams of becoming an explorer, spending most of his time reading books about great adventures. A notable scene finds the title character reading an adventure book while sitting on a globe as the images of the book come to life.

Chickenhare is the adopted son of King Peter, a legendary adventurer. Being half chicken and half hare, he has a really tough time growing up and disguises himself as a full hare to avoid the mockeries of his close-minded peers. This makes the character a great stand-in for biracial, multiracial, and other cross-sectional identities. Chickenhare is struggling with his true identity because he is a mix of a chicken and a hare. He is labeled an outcast by the other animals because of his hybrid appearance; he has not only the ears and fur of a hare but also the feathers and feet of a chicken. The other animals argue about whether the title character is a chicken or a hare, but can’t agree on an answer.

On the day of the Royal Adventurer Society trials, Chickenhare is handicapped by his disguise, causing him to fail the trials. After hearing King Peter’s tale about the Hamster of Darkness, he regains confidence in himself and decides to complete his father’s unfinished quest. He is determined to redeem himself by finding the Scepter of the Hamster of Darkness. The scepter will give immense power to its holder. Chickenhare accidentally sets his evil-imprisoned Uncle Lapin free with his chicken feathers. He is determined to make his father Peter proud and stop Lapin and the evil prisoners from obtaining the Hamster of Darkness first. If Lapin gets hold of it, he will be unstoppable.

ChickenhareChickenhare is joined on his quest by martial artist and skunk, Meg, and sarcastic but faithful servant, Abe. The trio faces real danger on this adventurous quest. Chickenhare learns to accept help from his allies, to be true to himself, and to find his identity. Chickenhare’s character arc changes from insecure to confident, as he learns he is an adventurer at heart. He is able to stop Lapin and his henchmen, destroy the scepter, and save himself with his chicken abilities. This gives him confidence in both sides of his identity.

Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness explores true identity through exploration.