Bunny Buddy Cop
It is hard to believe that the first Zootopia film came out almost a decade ago and blew everyone out with an impactful story and message on prejudice. The story lends itself well to a sequel with its huge world and characters to explore making a sequel inevitable. I am happy say that Zootopia 2 is able to capture the same whimsical charm, magic, humor, and impactful message of the first. It expands upon its world and characters in smart ways, tests the relationship of our central protagonists in meaningful ways, and leaves plenty of clever references for younger and older references alike.
Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who turns the mammal metropolis of Zootopia upside down. Testing their growing partnership like never before, they go under cover in new parts of town to crack the case.
The world of Zootopia is vast and imaginative, filled with all different animals living together and it is incredible to see how all the different species interact with one another. The creative team behind these films do an incredible job of continuing to build a world that feels lived in but also has it’s own history associated with it. Watching where different species interconnect with others, the different collaborations and tensions, and the unique way animation lends itself to presentation make this a visual and investing world to be a part of.
We navigate through this world with our central duo from the first film, and Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde remaining a dynamic and invested pair to watch. With their relationship already forged and established, the sequel takes the route of testing their bond. They not only have to prove to their chief of police and squad they are a working duo, but also to themselves. This has them wrestling with their own and each others insecurities to test the strength of their relationship, and whether two polar opposites in species and personalities can truly work together. And for the most part, the sequel pulls it off well and makes their conflict feel authentic and their ultimate realization and cooperation feel endearing.
The introduction of new supporting characters is another high point, with several new additions being standouts. Ke Huy Quan’s Gary de Snake is a wonderful and compassionate new addition to the cast, as his journey of connection and restoration of his family make him someone worth rooting for. There is Fortune Feimster’s Nibble Mapplestick who offers some of the biggest moments of humor that had me belly laughing at one point. From Patrick Warburton’s Brian Winddancer to Andy Samberg’s Pawbert Lynxley, no character is wasted among its ensemble cast. They offer moments of levity, heart, and add to the excellent established world of Zootopia that will have them be memorable for the next decade to come.
The film explores the history of the creation of Zootopia and how its once revered background is suddenly challenged with new revelations. It examines how the establishing of their city was built upon exploitation and discrimination, essentially forcing out other species to create more lands for those in power. Its a deep and powerful examination, similar to the first film’s exploration of prejudices and bias, that may go over children’s heads but leave plenty for other audiences to ruminate and think on. The element I enjoyed the most is that the film is not trying to be preachy in this realm. Its subtle exploration leaves enough for those wanting to think deeper about things while also leaving plenty of fun and colorful moments if you’re wanting a family friendly time at the movies.
Speaking of which, the film is an absolute blast to watch and I was laughing constantly throughout the film. It uses clever pop culture references to appeal to all audiences while also using clever writing to tell well thought out jokes. The benefit of animation also exists in the physicality of comedy and seeing how different animals can react against type leads to great moments of levity and humor. I loved being along for an investing journey with deep exploration that also knows the balance of not taking itself too seriously and when to insert a well timed dad joke.
Zootopia 2 is not as strong as the first film given that a lot of fun previously came from the exploration of a new world and establishment of a central relationship. I also found the last films central themes to be strong than this one. There is also quite a lot of the plot that is quite predictable. It is a family movie so I’m not expecting Oscar level writing, but towards the climax you can see where things are going. These issues are particularly minor and nothing that detracts from the overall momentum.
This is a great family friendly film for this holiday season. It has compelling characters, an expansive world, poignant themes, and incredible clever writing that had laughing throughout. Even if it took a decade to make a sequel, it was well worth the wait and I would love to see more from this world and more from this dynamic duo in the future.
(A -) Amazing
Raj Reviews 