Hello everybody and welcome to a new review! This time, I am going to be looking at a hotly anticipated follow up that many, including myself have been wanting for a fairly long time. When the first Zootopia dropped back in 2016, it was a huge surprise in how it not only was a very fun and clever buddy comedy, but also how much of an emotional story it was that tackled with highly topical themes. It ended up being regarded as one of Disney’s best in recent memory and it went on to become an immense box office hit, cracking $1 billion worldwide (very rare for a wholly original feature). I myself, absolutely love that first film and have very fond memories of seeing it when I was younger. It was also a movie that I have always wanted to see a follow up to as I think this world is brimming with so much imagination and potential that it easily lended itself to further exploration. Now, here we are 9 years later with the continuing adventures of Judy and Nick. Was it able to reach the heights set by its predecessor? Let’s jump right in and see what kind of thrills there are to be found in this zoo!
Taking place one week after the original, Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps are now partners for the ZPD taking on assignments and maybe disrupting some rules in the process. After one mission goes awry, leaving a mess in the city, Chief Bogo threatens to separate them if they don’t settle their differences. At the same time, Judy has reason to believe that a snake might be lurking around the city of Zootopia after stumbling upon some clues, something that hasn’t happened in years. Along, with a reluctant Nick, she sets out to investigate what’s going on in order for the duo to prove themselves. However, things get complicated when they end up finding their slithery suspect at The Zootenial Gala and end up getting involved in an even greater conspiracy related to the city that could change everything.
As hyped as I was for another adventure in the wonderful world of Zootopia, one concern I did have was that this would be one of those follow ups that would mostly retread similar ground as its predecessor with the same conflicts and arcs. That doesn’t prevent it from potentially being enjoyable, but it does signify that the creatives were more willing to play things safe. Well, thankfully that did not end up being the case as Zootopia 2 ends up being a great example of what a sequel should do. It is yet another immensely entertaining adventure that functions as a terrific investigative crime movie for families due to the story still being engaging and having a lot to say from a thematic standpoint. Switching the dynamic from predators and prey to mammals and reptiles makes for an effective racial allegory that avoids some of the more problematic aspects that some have cited when viewing that film in that light (I think the film is very nuanced in how it handles all of that, by I digress) and it allows the story to tackle a lot of relevant issues that are especially prevalent in today’s society. Without giving too much away, the movie is very upfront in confronting gentrification and displacement of entire groups of people that can be happening under our noses in a way that I thought was very admirable and that can do the job in explaining such problems to a younger audience. It makes Bob Iger’s “less movies about messaging” comments from a while back all the more frustrating given how the messaging in these films is what makes these films resonate as much, but I digress.
However, the film still functions greatly on delivering a very fun ride with the world of Zootopia being expanded in creative ways and there being even more inventive animal based jokes and gags that never cease to amuse. Whether it’s the numerous puns or visual gags or just very well written dialogue, the amount of detail that is put into the comedy is very appreciated as it shows the writer putting in the effort to actually engage with this world and what can be done to get the most effective jokes across to the point where it feels like there are some blink and you miss them jokes. There are even quite a few pop culture references that manage to work due to how much effort the writers and directors, Jared Bush and Byron Howard, go into presenting them in as fun as possible, with one specific beat relating to an iconic horror film being a huge stand out. I also just love how the movie doesn’t feel content rehashing the first film, as while certain plot beats are similar, I felt the story was successful at doing its own thing while finding new conflicts for the characters to deal with that feel like natural continuations of what came before. The story is filled with genuine surprises as well as emotional stakes that manage to hit hard when the moment calls for it to the point where I did find myself nearly tearing up at certain points.
When it comes to discussing the animation quality, this is a Walt Disney production, so it should come as no surprise that this, visually speaking, top notch. It is still great work nonetheless, as Zootopia is one of my favorite Disney film as far as presentation goes. This is just such a stunning world filled with so much imagination that I can only imagine the process of creating it and just how much fun it was for the artists involved. The environments are just so much fun to look at with the all of the different animal characters populating never looking the same from one another and there being so many nice little touches in order to create locations suitable for the living of andromorphic animals. Everything from the architecture to the vehicles to way any given location is lit does an excellent job in matching any given part of Zootopia and credit to the animators for creating such beautiful looking landscapes. Also love how each place has its own feel with the chilly nature of Tundra Down and the countryside feel of Marsh Market and I felt the atmosphere for each was felt in which one, with the use of lighting being among the better examples of such in an animated film in recent memory. The various animal designs are once again very well done combining realistic textures that look convincing (especially when it comes to the new element that is the reptiles) and cartoony facial expressions that are very successful in conveying all of the different emotions of the characters.
One character who is a treat to watch animation wise is Gary, whose movements seem to match those of the real life snake he is based off of perfectly and I can only imagine the amount of research that went into getting him just right. Reminds me a lot of the work done on Hank the octopus in Finding Dory and how much was done to make his camouflage abilities as authentic to the actual animal as possible. It also aids in the action sequences, which manage to be a ton of fun. We get plenty of high speed chases that manage to change things up when in a different locale, taking advantage all of the different elements that each setting provides and directed with the needed kineticism, but still being coherent and avoiding getting too frenetic. Plus, with the stakes higher and the threat of death even present for our heroes, I thing there is another level of intensity here that really kept my eyes glue, where when something bad was looking to happen, I became very much on the edge of my seat, with a tube set sequence, especially making me fear for our characters thanks to some top notch editing. Adding to all of these scenes is Michael Giacchino’s jazzy score which manages to further make the location of Zootopia into a character in and of itself and captures the feel of the kind of music you’d here in old crime shows or movies. I also have to shout out Shakira who comes back as the singer, Gazelle, to sing a new song entitled “Zoo”, which I think is an absolute banger. Hot take, but I might like it more than “Try Everything” (which I also love) as I think I think the lyrics flow a little better does a better job of conveying the message, whereas the former feels like it is spelling out completely. Is also just really catchy and has a nice upbeat rhythm.
Just like the original though, the real heart of the film lies in the Judy (Ginnifer Goodwyn) and Nick (Jason Bateman) dynamic that is very much properly developed here. Instead of re hashing the same conflicts between them for this one, the writers are smart to explore how they function as partners how they’re differing personalities and motivations creates a further layer of conflict. We see them both work well as a team, but face some challenged with Judy’s determination to get the mission done and do what is right, no matter the cost, clashing effectively with Nick’s concerns of overstepping their limits and not risk losing his or her life, both of which are understandable given what we know about these characters. I find characters who try and do the right thing no matter what, even with all the risks and potential heartbreak that may come from it, to resonate with me and so I was very invested in Judy’s journey here, but the movie is also smart not to paint Nick in a bad light and show that his actions are all motivated for how much he cares for his partner. I was deeply moved by where this dynamic went as it feels like the most natural way to go after how the first movie ended and it doesn’t undo any of the development that was done in that film, instead making me love them even more as a duo. Even with all that though, their banter is still just as fun and clever as before with their sarcastic jabs providing a lot of the best comedy and Goodwyn and Bateman do a phenomenal job in embodying them, with Bateman especially getting some great opportunities to show off his dramatic chops in voice work.
As far as the other returning characters from the first are concerned, it is very nice to see the likes of Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche) and Benjamin Clawhauser (Nate Torrence) among others with them playing key roles in the story and again, feeling like they’ve developed because of the events of the first movie. Bogo, particularly, while still the same tough chief, has more respect for Hopps and is only hard on her because he doesn’t want her to ruin her career. I greatly appreciate stuff like that as it shows the movie as an actual sequel where out characters aren’t stagnant from where they were before. The new characters though are the ones who get the most to shine though, with many of them ending up being very memorable. Ke Huy Quan brings so much enthusiasm and warmth to Gary De’Snake, who ends up being an immensely sympathetic driving force who parallels Judy in a lot of ways in how he just wants to do what is right for those he loves. His wholesome personality makes him endearing and whenever danger would strike, I became immediately concerned for his safety. Another very enjoyable ally on this journey is a conspiracy podcast host beaver named Nibble Maplesick (very fun vocal performance from Fortune Feimster) whose hyperactivity and fast talking makes for a character that is both an effective comic relief, but ends up being a great assist to the where things go. She is easily a character that could’ve been annoying, but thanks to the script and Feimster’s performance, I very much enjoyed whenever she popped up (also is responsible for some of the more surprising adult jokes).
Andy Samberg also gives what might be his best vocal performance yet as Pawbert Lynxley, the youngest of the powerful Lynxley family that has an immense amount of influence on Zootopia (slight spoilers ahead). He’s considered the runt and Samberg plays up his awkwardness well, while making him into seemingly nice guy who wants to help Judy out. Him being seen as an outcast in his family is a compelling character thread and the way that ends up playing out as the movie goes on ends up being surprising and adding a lot of wrinkles to what his motivations are. I do think the twist involving him is among the better kind of twists that Disney has done, as Samberg makes it feel convincing and it is honestly sad to see Pawbert end up being someone who wants his cruel family to accept him so much, that he’ll be willing to do unspeakable things to get that recognition. I also want to shout out David Straithairn, who voices the Lynxley patriarch, Milton, who is terrific as he plays the character like a villain from an R-rated crime movie plopped into a PG rated family film, giving him a great amount of menace to the point where fear the characters would strike me, whenever he appeared. The whole Lynxley family serves as an excellent commentary on the corruption those in power can inflict and how horrible it is to discriminate against those who are different as well as the dangers of how that can motivate people. Along the way we get a plethora of other characters voice by plenty of recognizable names such as Danny Trejo, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, John Leguizamo, and more that are able to add something to the proceedings. My favorite among these ones has to be Patrick Warburton as the newly appointed Mayor, Brain Winddancer, who is an amusing riff on actors turned politicians such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, who even gets a solid arc thrown in for good measure.
On the whole, I absolutely loved Zootopia 2, as it is a perfect example of what a great sequel should be. It finds new and interesting directions to take the story and characters, the comedy is just as clever as before, it tackles important subject matter in a mature light, the animation is spectacularly done, the action is exciting, the voice acting is on point, and the characters arcs are very well handled. This is a movie that I think will have a hard time displeasing many as it is a perfect family film and just an amazing feel good crowd pleaser. Fans of the original should be more than satisfied and it serves a reminder of why I was a fan of this world to begin with. It is definitely among my favorite films put out by Disney Animation in recent memory and I would say it is their best follow up in the modern era. Just a knock out of a follow up that makes me hope that it doesn’t take another 9 years for Zootopia 3 to come along.
Side Note: There is an after credits scene after all of the credits have rolled. It’s simple, but it serves a fun tease for what’s to come in a potential third installment.
Rating: A+
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