Disney’s “Zootopia” is the latest in a batch of animated hits which some see as a revival of the “Disney Renaissance” — a period beginning with “The Little Mermaid.” “Zootopia” doesn’t have any memorable songs like “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” but has a more meaningful message than any other film the company has produced in a while.
The film follows a rabbit named Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), who as a child dreamed of being the first rabbit cop in the city of Zootopia. Zootopia is a city where all animals — predator and prey — live together in harmony.
Judy is assigned the traffic beat, and quickly encounters a conman fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). After being coerced by Wilde and being influenced by a deal with Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), Hopps is assigned to investigate a missing persons case. This case is one of many plaguing Zootopia, and what follows is a meandering crime story that includes numerous red herrings and introduces a wide swath of new, interesting characters.
The humor in “Zootopia” is made for viewers of all ages, including some nice references to “The Godfather” as well as previous Disney films — keep an eye out for a “Frozen” name reference in the third act. Furthermore, with the best physical humor of any Disney movie, Buster Keaton would certainly be proud.
The jokes continue throughout the story, along with cameos from Octavia Spencer, Tommy Chong and even Shakira, who sings the only notable songs. The whole of the voice talent — especially Bateman — proves the abilities of the casting director, and accentuates the film’s thematic underbelly. Each voice perfectly matches each animal character, which fits the film’s core message: presumptions.
Each animal is stereotyped by its appearance, size and, for some, behavior, which gets attributed to the animal’s “biology.” The social commentary is meaningful without being beaten over the audience’s head. As the film reaches its third act, it questions the extent to which the police should go to maintain law and order, and whether quarantining a minority of the population is necessary to defend the majority. This film is relevant and important for the newer generations to watch than it leads on.
The film has few negatives. Even though the plot feels a bit contrived at points, mystery stories sometimes need a contrived plot to work. It appears Shakira is there so the film has a marketable song, as her character doesn’t provide much to the story. However, she provides a sense of modernity to the atmosphere.
Overall, Disney’s “Zootopia” is able to mix a talented, well-picked voice cast, a well-crafted story and hefty thematic elements to create a howl of a good time for viewers of all ages.
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