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Fun Fantasy for All Ages
by Sandra Olmsted
In Disney’s latest animated film, Zootopia, an anthropomorphic world exists, and all animals, predators and prey, live in perfect harmony. Despite all this inter-species harmony, a bunny girl, namely Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), must struggle against stereotyping to become the first bunny police officer.
Her first morning on the job in Precinct 1 doesn’t go so well because the cape buffalo Police Chief Bogo (voice of Idris Elba) assigns her to meter maid duty while everyone else heads out to solve the many missing persons cases that have suddenly been plaguing Zootopia, the city. Judy writes twice the number of tickets suggested for the day before noon, leaving plenty of time to fight crime and right
wrongs, such as when Nick Wilde, a Fox dad, is denied service at an elephant shop.
Judy soon discovers Nick is a scam artist. Later, Judy’s pursuit of a purse snatcher causes a scurry in the Rodentia borough and gets her a dressing down from Bogo. While he’s telling Judy that she’s only there because of Mayor Lionheart’s (voice of J.K. Simmons) mammal-inclusion initiative, Mrs. Otterton (voice of Octavia Spencer) interrupts and begs Chief Bogo to find her missing husband, a florist. Despite Bogo trying to put Judy in her place, Judy promises Mrs. Otterton that she will find the mild-mannered Mr. Otterton. Bogo gives Judy just 48 hours to find the missing otter or give up her badge. Since none of the other officers will help Judy, she turns to the only “friend” she’s made, Nick. Judy doggedly follows the trail with the reluctant Nick in tow.
In a nod to 48 Hours., Officer Judy Hops, by-the-book cop, and Nick Wilde, a wisecracking fox who resembles Disney’s 1973 Robin Hood character, to solve the mystery of why about a dozen predators have gone missing. Judy’s ability to ricochet off things and flip train switches in the nick of time, for example, is reminiscent of Jackie Chan’s abilities. Since Judy, a country girl, is new to the city and Nick has always lived there their cultures clash, so there’s also a Rush Hour vibe.
An important subplot relates to Mr. Big (voice of Maurice LaMarsh), who is an amusing parody of Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather. Although it pays delightful homage to many films, Zootopia never crosses the line into derivative because directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore play with the familiar to streamline the storytelling while putting plenty of original spin on the elements they’ve borrowed.
Will Judy and Nick get to the bottom of why these dozen or so animals, all predators, have gone missing? Is there something more sinister going on? Who is behind the disappearances? Has Judy found allies in Bellwether (voice of Jenny Slate), a sheep who the Assistant Mayor, but really nothing more than a mistreated secretary, or Clawhauser (Nate Torrence), the police force’s effeminate cheetah receptionist?
Can Judy trust Nick, who is, after all, a “sly” fox? Will Judy realize her worst fear — that she’s just a cute, dumb bunny who belongs back on her parents carrot farm with 225 brothers and sisters? Zootopia also takes on bigger issues of biology and genetics versus self-determination and cultural influences, stereotyping, racism or perhaps species-ism, and gender inequality, but never feels preachy because the story is so well conceived and the issue arise naturally out of the struggles of the characters.
Zootopia is well worth seeing, and the 3D is very well done because it enhances the story and plot twist and isn’t just a gimmick. Howard and Moore bring the nuances of more adult references and still manage a PG rating for some thematic elements, rude humor and action. Zootopia run a fast paced 108 minutes and is full of visual delights in the many boroughs from arctic to tropical. A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release, Zootopia is in theaters now.
