A recurrent theme in movies aimed at younger audiences is often the idea of sharing — learning to coexist in harmony with the many different occupants of the world around us. It’s an important lesson for kids, told in an appealing fictional form, but for older audiences, these morality tales can often feel like a balm, especially during troubled times.

This story of community cooperation is at the core of “Hoppers,” the latest Disney/Pixar film co-written and directed by Daniel Chong (best known for the “We Bare Bears” series and movie). But what keeps “Hoppers” from drifting into Pollyanna-ish sensibility is its charming spikiness, and embrace of the weird, wacky and witty as it unfurls a high-tech action thriller about a strange, if brief, merging of the human and animal worlds.

Early on, Chong signals that this isn’t your average Disney animated movie with a Bikini Kill needle drop soundtracking the entrance of our hero, Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda). Mabel is a fiery 19-year-old biology student and eco-activist in her hometown of Beaverton, where she makes herself a nuisance to the local mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm). When Mayor Jerry moves forward with the construction of a beltway that will destroy the glade where Mabel learned to calm her nervous system and love nature with her wise grandmother (Karen Huie), this riot grrl skates into action.

Mabel’s plan to lure animals back to the glade, thereby stopping the beltway, takes a curious turn when she follows a beaver to the university lab, where we finally learn the concept of “hopping.” Chong and co-writer Jesse Andrews have crafted a sort of “Avatar” but cute story here, as Mabel discovers that her professor has invented a technology that allows humans to transplant their consciousness into highly realistic robot animals. While the academics wish only to use their powers for research and study, Mabel immediately hops into the beaver body with revolution on her mind.

Once Mabel is on the ground and up close with the animal kingdom, we can revel in the delightful textures that the animation team has rendered: fuzzy beaver fur, blades of grass and pools of water that are all shockingly tactile. It’s stunning artistry mixed with a very funny introduction to King George (Bobby Moynihan), a benevolent beaver leader who has assembled every displaced animal in Beaverton in his massive dam. Despite the daily aerobics and rules about friendliness, it’s clear George’s commune is unsustainable, only further galvanizing Mabel’s commitment to stopping the beltway.

If only it were so simple. Mabel has barged into the very delicate political world of the animal kingdom, and suddenly finds herself having to switch allegiances over and over. In this action-packed plot, Chong leans into the bonkers, the film at times achieving the quality of a surreal fever dream. Gaze upon the horrors, if you will, of a great white shark named Diane (Vanessa Bayer), hoisted out of the ocean by seagulls, cheerfully promising to “squish” Mayor Jerry. Or the sight of an evil Jerry robot, puppeted by the consciousness of a tyrannical butterfly (Dave Franco), scampering, insect-like, around the fiery maelstrom of a rally gone awry.

But even in these moments of madness, “Hoppers” never loses its humor or heart. The jokes still land, and the vocal performances are excellent. Even with the consciousness-swapping, Chong maintains point of view with a few smart creative choices. But first and foremost, Mabel’s personal quest to save her glade remains her top priority, even as the stakes grow dangerously high, for all of Beaverton.

The villain of “Hoppers” isn’t Mayor Jerry — he’s very likable, and just wants to get things done. It isn’t even the tyrannical monarch, though he has a touch of megalomania. It’s the finite resources of Beaverton. The animals, bugs, birds and fish understand that everything needs to be shared equally. It’s the humans who need that reminder, and it’s one that the future generations will have to take to heart more than anything. The battle for Beaverton — and Mabel’s glade — might reach a peaceful resolution in “Hoppers,” but the struggle for coexistence is never really over. Sometimes it’s just nice to see sharing in action.

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‘HOPPERS’

3.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG (for action/peril, some scary images and mild language)

Running time: 1:45

How to watch: In theaters March 6

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