It’s been 9 years since audiences last set foot in the world of Zootropolis, or to our readers across the pond, Zootopia. Given the success of the first film, it seems a little baffling why it took so long for a sequel to get greenlit. The previous film made over a billion dollars at the global box office – a rarity for a film not based on a preexisting IP. And it also bagged the 2017 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. By Disney’s usual standards, a sequel should’ve been churned out much faster. But good things do come to those who wait.
Co-directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard bided their time and have returned with another worthy story to sit alongside the first film. One that mixes cute and cuddly critters, fun-filled action, and sly social commentary into a delightful family film.
What made the first Zootropolis film such an unexpected success was just how steeped in allegory it was, relating to more adult-centric topics. For a film that was primarily aimed at kids, it didn’t shy away from discussions of institutionalised sexism, racism, prejudice, political corruption and drugs. There was enough vibrant world-building and silliness for the kids, but it was mainly adults who walked away with more than what they bargained for. It genuinely surprised us.
But with sequels to successful movies, there comes both raised anticipation and expectations. And similarly to Pixar’s Inside Out 2, this long-awaited sequel is a valiant follow-up but just lacks that ineffable wow-factor of seeing something new, inventive and original for the first time. Zootropolis 2 does what any good sequel is supposed to do: it builds upon what came before. And both the characters and the world of Zootropolis are expanded in thought-provoking ways that both kids and adults will appreciate.
Taking place essentially one week after where the previous film left us, the sarcastic con-artist-turned-copper fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) has joined zippy bunny-cop Judy Hopper (Ginnifer Goodwin) as her new partner in the Zootropolis Police Department. However, the praise they received for taking down the assistant Mayor, Dawn Bellwether, is short-lived. In the eyes of Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), they’re still seen as rookies who need to prove themselves, and he’s sceptical that they can work together harmoniously based on their predispositions as animals. But the ever-resilient and optimistic Judy is determined to show her chief that the differences between her and Nick are helpful and not a hindrance. They complement, rather than contradict, one another.
Zootropolis is on the verge of its “Zootennial”, a city-wide celebration of the hundred years of the weather-walling technology that surrounds the city, which allows all the inhabitant mammals of Zootropolis to co-exist. This technology was invented by Ebenezer Lynxley, whose invention led to his family becoming one of the city’s most wealthy and influential dynasties. His legacy has been passed down to 3 generations of Lynxley’s who are the keepers of Ebenerzer’s legendary diary, which contains the original scribings of his invention.
But on the night of the Lynxley Gala, Judy clocks a viper snake called Gary DeSnake (Ke Huy Quan) trying to steal the journal in hopes of uncovering a secret that has been buried by the Lynxleys. Empathetic Judy’s loyalties are tested, and she and Nick must go on the run with a conspiracist podcasting beaver named Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster) and the black sheep of the Lynxley family, Pawbert (Andy Samberg) to find answers.
Zootropolis 2 is equal parts funny buddy-cop and 100-minute chase film. While the film admittedly feels a touch too long, it does a decent job of keeping younger viewers engaged, as there aren’t many gaps between the countless exhilarating action sequences. There are also lots of adult jokes and cultural references (given an animal twist) peppered throughout to amuse the parents. Some jokes work better than others. A nod to the viral 2013 Ylvis song “What Does the Fox Say?” feels about a decade too late to be funny. But avid movie lovers are sure to appreciate the references to beloved films like The Shining and Babe.
But thankfully, there is still a lot of thematic substance throughout the story with Gary’s subplot about his reptilian family, acting as a metaphor for the Native experience. His snake ancestors were vilified and ostracised by the greedy capitalist creatures who forced them out of their lands. It’s sage subtext like this which elevates the Zootropolis films from disposable entertainment to necessary pieces of media. Films that entertain and educate, but without being preachy.
When the news cycle constantly seems to cover hostile stories of division, it’s films like Zootropolis 2 that remind us to pause, listen to what others have to say and try to understand where they are coming from. Judy reminds us that “the world will never be a better place if no one is brave enough to do the right thing”. And sometimes the hardest thing is just listening to someone who has a different perspective to you.
Jared Bush couldn’t help but lean on some all-too-familiar tropes that have become popularised in modern Disney films. Such as this done-to-death twist-reveal of a surprise villain. It worked in the previous film because the trope was in its infancy and worked as a clever metaphor for a wolf in a sheepskin. But now the twist has become expected, and the culprit in this film is frankly far more obvious. Some characters do feel shoe-horned in, such as the scene-stealing Sloth Flash (Raymond S. Persi) from the first film. While it’s funny to see the glacially-paced sloth driving a sports car, this whole sequence reeks of Bush desperately trying to find an excuse to have the character in the sequel.
It may have taken nearly a decade to see this dynamic crime-fighting duo on another adventure, but for the most part, the wait is justified. The jokes are still rapid fire, the comedic chemistry between Nick and Judy provides it with plenty of heart, and there’s no shortage of nuggets of wisdom to take away from Zootropolis 2. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another 9 years to see them on our screens again.
★★★★
In U.K. cinemas from November 28th / Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Fortune Feimster, Quinta Brunson, Andy Samberg, Shakira, Patrick Warburton, Ke Huy Quan, Idris Elba, Danny Trejo, David Strathairn / Dirs: Jared Bush, Byron Howard / Walt Disney Animation / PG
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