By the point “Zootopia” hit theaters in 2016, the thought of creating a cop the underdog hero in a children’ film was already … for instance, “dicey.” However with “Paw Patrol” ruling the preschool airwaves, Hollywood had clearly realized that “cute animal + tiny uniform = merchandising gold.” Disney’s entry was a basic buddy-cop romp following Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), an overachieving rabbit from the agricultural Bunnyburrow who turns into the primary of her form on the Zootopia police drive. Consistently underestimated, she overcorrects straight into rule-breaking territory and reluctantly groups up with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a con-artist fox, to crack a serious case and expose corruption.
The movie doubles as a considerably clunky “Biases Are Unhealthy” primer for youths, which makes its tidy ending — Judy and Nick turning into companions on the ZPD — really feel awkward while you bear in mind the real-world systemic racism baked into policing and the jail industrial advanced. “Zootopia,” for every part that it does proper, won’t ever be capable of escape the shadow of it being copaganda for youths, one thing that in a post-2020 world does not have the believable deniability it as soon as did.
Nevertheless, it additionally grossed over a billion {dollars} on the field workplace, making continued tales inevitable. The questionably titled however very fulfilling “Zootopia+” collection on Disney+ offered snapshots of the day-to-day goings on of the denizens of “Zootopia,” however with out the beating coronary heart of the movie — Judy and Nick — on the heart, it was a cute addition to the world that had audiences nonetheless craving extra. Thankfully, “Zootopia 2” is the uncommon instance of a follow-up movie that may stay as much as the excessive bar set by the primary film, an all-time nice sequel for the Home of Mouse, and probably the greatest buddy-cop films in years.
Judy and Nick be taught to work exterior the system
“Zootopia 2” picks up with Judy and Nick struggling as companions because of their discordant personalities. After botching a smuggling sting, Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) threatens to separate them up except they attend group remedy run by quokka Dr. Fuzzby (Quinta Brunson). Judy, nevertheless, is satisfied a snake is unfastened in Zootopia, regardless of reptiles being absent for a century, and refuses to drop her hunch. She suspects the creature plans to infiltrate the Zootenial Gala hosted by the wealthy, highly effective Lynxley household, descendants of Zootopia’s founder. Persuading Nick to go undercover, she discovers a pit viper named Gary (Ke Huy Quan) looking for an outdated journal concerning the metropolis’s climate partitions, who insists the contents show reptiles aren’t the villains they’re believed to be. When patriarch Milton Lynxley (David Strathairn) frames Judy and Nick as accomplices, they escape with Gary and the journal, now fugitives racing to uncover Zootopia’s true historical past.
If “Zootopia” was a movie educating the necessary lesson to not decide a e book by its cowl, “Zootopia 2” is an exploration of how the stereotypes that pit us in opposition to those that are completely different from us got here to be, and the lengths the rich elite will go to keep up a establishment that retains some communities demonized to the purpose the place others are so blind to the reality that they are keen to disregard the continued oppression at greatest, and actively encourage mistreatment at worst. The social commentary is extra manageable than the huge scope of the primary movie, however it makes for a extra mature story. Gary and the plight of the reptiles function an allegory for the numerous teams of real-life individuals painted as harmful monsters, and Judy rapidly realizes that to enact any actual change and discover actual justice, she has to work exterior the ZPD.
The brand new lands and characters of Zootopia are incredible
Whereas Judy, Nick, and Gary are on the run, they stumble right into a handful of latest lands we by no means noticed within the first movie: Marsh Market, The Toad — a “From Nightfall Until Daybreak”-style speakeasy the place reptiles search solace — and an deserted honeymoon lodge perched on a cliff that feels straight out of “The Lonely Goatherd.” Guiding them is Nibbles Maplestick (the always-hilarious Fortune Feimster), a beaver conspiracy idea podcaster who completely is aware of one thing’s off in Zootopia. Their trek by way of Marsh Market is among the movie’s excessive factors and one of many clearest indicators that the franchise has huge room to run if Disney chooses to go full “Toy Story” with it — which, let’s be actual, they appear poised to do.
Possibly it is as a result of I am fats, white trash, and grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, however seeing marine mammals in cut-off denim, blubber out and spirits excessive, dwelling joyfully even from society’s margins, hit me in a means the primary movie by no means did. Little touches, like watching a hippo get a tramp stamp or listening to a jazz band echo by way of The Toad, felt like dwelling. Truthfully, I might watch a complete spin-off set in these communities. Russ the walrus plumber (voiced by co-head of story David VanTuyle) is destined for fan-favorite standing, as is Danny Trejo’s plumed basilisk lizard, Jesús.
Personally, I’ll want Disney+ shorts of pretend trailers for the movies of Mayor Brad Winddancer (Patrick Warburton), a movie-star-turned-politician horse who is totally going to encourage some deeply cursed fan artwork. However the greatest win? Gary Da’Snake suits in effortlessly, and I am shocked extra individuals have not tapped Ke Huy Quan for voiceover work. For an animal many children (and adults) take into account “scary,” Quan’s light, soothing voice is absolute perfection.
Zootopia 2 is anchored by Judy and Nick’s relationship
Like the primary movie, “Zootopia 2” makes use of beautiful animation to craft a world chock-full of Easter eggs and references to different movies (there are two horror film jokes that made me audibly cackle with delight like a storybook witch that I cannot spoil for you), which may really feel tiresome to anybody weary of caprice, however I am a simple mark for an excellent pun so the background indicators of Zootopia are like catnip for me.
However a buddy-cop film is just pretty much as good as its buddies, and the evolution of Judy and Nick’s relationship is the primary cause value watching. By specializing in their private journeys and the event of how they work collectively as a workforce, the specificity of their friendship (maybe one thing extra??) supplies an amazing outlet for these watching to query their very own strategy to doing what’s proper, even when it is scary, and decide the lengths they’d be keen to go to guard the individuals they love. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde have solidified themselves as an all-time nice duo within the animated Disney canon, and I encourage that this would possibly not be the final we see of them.
In the long run credit, a title card reads “A film made by everybody at Walt Disney Animation Studios,” and it looks like a message operating parallel with the one in “Zootopia 2.” It is simple (and obligatory) to criticize highly effective establishments managed by a handful of rich decision-makers, however we mustn’t ever lose sight of the on a regular basis of us working tirelessly to make issues higher in the intervening time. “Zootopia 2” would be the gateway to show younger viewers to query who units the foundations, and be impressed to interrupt these guidelines if it means doing what’s proper. “Zootopia 2” might not be as politically biting as one thing like “BEASTARS,” however for those who want the Mouse to validate your politics, you do not even have politics.
/Movie Ranking: 8 out of 10
“Zootopia 2” hits theaters on November 26, 2025.
