Review of Zootopia (2016) by Dana F — 04 Jul 2017

I can think of no other film that is as timely as this one. Though it's a typical Disney film in structure, the entire film is an overt allegory for racism... and how we each can do our part to overcome prejudice and adversity in society.

The protagonist is little Judy Hopps, who aspires to become a police officer despite her diminutive bunny stature and country-bumpkin background. Judy is a great protagonist and worthy role model for little girls, or anybody really.

The weird thing about her, and what makes this movie so different, is that she's a racist. She doesn't want to be, and tries very hard not to be, and the story follows her as she begins to realize her prejudices and works to overcome them.

The overall message of inclusion and celebrating diversity is a timely and important one, and one that has never been so fully expressed in a children's film. The movie touches on some pretty sensitive racial and gender stereotypes, including some not-so-disguised Islamophobia.

I said to myself "Damn, I can't believe they went there" more than once. So yeah, it does get a little heavy for a Disney film, but there is enough humor and action mixed in to lighten up the subject matter.

Though the movie is clever, the writing is not inherently all that funny... most of the credit for the film's humor is due to the excellent work by the voice actors. Their delivery is really spot on and made me laugh out loud, notably Jason Bateman and Idris Elba (who I am really loving as a voice actor!!).

Then there is the cutting-edge animation, which is truly amazing... you can see every hair on each body. It's pretty eye-popping. As a whole, it's no "Inside Out", but it's a thoughtful and meaningful addition to the Disney canon.