Zootopia

• Known as Zootropolis in some markets
• Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore
• February 13, 2016 (Belgium) / March 4, 2016 (US)

Voice Cast

• Judy Hopps-Ginnifer Goodwin
• Young Judy Hopps-Della Saba
• Nick Wilde-Jason Bateman
• Young Nick Wilde-Kath Soucie
• Chief Bogo-Idris Elba
• Dawn Bellwether-Jenny Slate
• Benjamin Clawhauser-Nate Torrence
• Mayor Leodore Lionheart-J. K. Simmons
• Gazelle-Shakira
• Flash Slothmore, Officer Higgins-Raymond S. Persi
• Mr. Big-Maurice LaMarche
• Mrs. Otterton-Octavia Spencer
• Yax-Tommy Chong
• Duke Weaselton-Alan Tudyk
• Bonnie Hopps-Bonnie Hunt
• Stu Hopps-Don Lake
• Gideon Grey, Angry Offscreen Character-Phil Johnston
• Major Friedkin-Fuschia!
• Jerry Jumbeaux Jr., Woolter and Jesse, Moose-That-Gets-Ticket, Pig Reporter-John DiMaggio
• Dr. Madge Honey Badger-Katie Lowes
• Nangi-Gita Reddy
• Manchas-Jesse Corti
• Finnick-Tom Lister Jr.
• Shop Owner-Josh Dallas
• Fru Fru-Leah Latham
• Doug, Larry-Rich Moore
• Fabienne Growley-Fabienne Rawley
• Peter Moosebridge-Peter Mansbridge
• Bucky Antlerson, Travis-Byron Howard
• Pronk Oryx-Jared Bush
• Officer McHorn-Mark Rhino Smith
• Mrs. Dharma Armadillo-Josie Trinidad
• Construction Foreman-John Lavelle
• Priscilla-Kristen Bell

A rookie rabbit cop and a con artist red fox work together to expose a conspiracy involving the disappearance of predators in the city of Zootopia.

I am late to the Zootopia bandwagon. Despite experiencing some real gems, I am reflexively adverse to computer animation. Pair that with the general weakness of recent Pixar offerings I have seen and I developed problems. Zootopia demonstrates that my concern is not always warranted.

Strangely Zootopia is a joke packed mystery. There are visual and dialogue jokes galore reminiscent of other comedies. Given the pace and quantity I know I must have missed some. In that aspect it is much like the Naked Gun films or the classic Airplane! though for the whole family. This never aims exclusively for adults or children by never talking down to the audience.

This script plays it as straight as it possibly can with a city of anthropomorphic animals. By being serious about the world they create, those involved make things humorous. That stark contrast between the absurd and serious generated comedy. Chases get silly while being an obvious parody. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop can be exciting but if those buildings are the size of dollhouses to the characters it becomes humorous. All in a fresh take on the buddy cop film genre.

As is usual for those films we have the con artist (a red fox named Nick Wilde) paired with a good cop (a rabbit named Judy Hopps). Judy always does the right thing and finds success down the road with numerous examples littered in the film. Nick lies and cheats and gets to the next step, but it does not go as smoothly as direct kindness and honesty. A lesson? Possibly.

It is also a movie with something to say. Not a message movie but more of a commentary/lesson film. In its 108 minutes Zootopia takes swipes of things like words you can’t use and racial stereotypes in an anthropomorphic animal setting. Zootopia is a bit on the subversive side for Disney. On the surface dialogue sounds serious or touching, but if you take a moment to think about it, it’s actually humorous and means something else.

It addresses classism and growing beyond the perceptions of others dressed up with a very Disney sheen. Below that light fluffy surface is a substantive movie getting across what it wants to say very easily. Mix that with identifiable elements of life like being bullied by town jerks and it hooks you within seconds.

What should be a superficial Disney film gets into bigotry and biases and maybe even systematic racism. It touches on how we make blanket assumptions about groups and often judge those individuals connected to groups based on those blanket assumptions. It never paints one group as innocent of it. The fox Nick Wilde makes assumptions about the rabbit Judy Hopps and Judy makes assumptions about Nick. Wrapped in that is even a lesson about how people can change. Just because you’re a country bumpkin or a bully does not mean you stay like that. You define who you are.

That and it is an actual mystery story with clues. There is at least enough detecting going on that you get an idea of what the evil plot is even if you don’t know who the mastermind that came up with it could be. As a mystery it is very well put together. Clues and foreshadowing and motives all make sense when they come together. Each character contributes a little something. Neither one has all the answers and just needs people to get out of the out of their way. There is an expert use of red herrings to lengthen the story while also subverting expectations. That’s sprinkled amongst various pop-culture references and general entertainment allusions like. I really wish Marlon Brando was alive to voice the character of Mr. Big.

I greatly enjoyed Zootopia. It’s funny and exciting and a great mystery story with something below the surface.