Disney is no stranger to animal-only films that charm. But there is something utterly unique, powerful and profound about their latest, Zootopia.
The film chronicles the goings-on in a metropolis that bears the film’s moniker. It is a city comprised solely of animals, there are no humans. And yes, predators and prey live peacefully, side-by-side. There are various districts that accommodate the living preferences of the numerous beasts that live, work and play in Zootopia. From Tundra Town (for the more frigid preferring beasts) to Rodentia (where the smallest of the small live in peaceful bliss).
We meet our heroine, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bunny who has dreamed of being a big city Zootopia police officer since she was a wee rabbit. The thing is, all of the cops in Zootopia are of a certain size and there has never been a bunny in the ZPD. Judy seeks to change that and the trailblazer heads to the big city when she’s old enough, finishes first in her class at the police academy and then begins her dream work of battling crime as a… meter maid!
She catches a break when the city suffers a series of missing persons, all of whom are (former) predators. Her boss, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), is not a fan of go-getter bunny, and when Hopps promises the wife of an Otter who has gone missing that she will find her husband, Bogo gives her 48 hours to find Mr. Otterton and if not, she will resign.
Hopps turns to Nick Wilde, a con man fox (voiced by Jason Bateman). She herself was conned by the sly fox. She finds him, and essentially blackmails him into helping her, or she will bring him up on charges for various illegal activates The unlikely pair, predator and prey, must work together to find Mr. Otterton and maybe, just maybe, they can crack this predator kidnapping ring wide open.
Besides being another glorious motion picture from Disney Animation to gaze it, like so many in recent memory — such as Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and their Pixar siblings’ Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur — Zootopia is a film that will make you think and spur terrific conversations. Prepare for terrific opportunities with the kids, long after the ride home is completed, about issues as wide ranging as staying true to yourself, tolerance, the need for blind inclusion in our society when it comes to our differences, to following your dreams and even one as simple as not judging a book by its cover.
Trouble talking to your kids about race and privilege? Zootopia is a magical place to start.
And at the same time, Zootopia is wildly entertaining and visually stunning.
It’s hard to believe that Bateman has never been in an animated movie prior to Zootopia. He is impeccably cast as the sly fox and his timing, deliver and inflection is all top notch. Bateman and Goodwin have a chemistry that is palpable and thoroughly enjoyable. We hope that Zootopia cleans up at the box office because we want and heck, need, more Zootopia movies in our future.
Grade: A