“Zootopia 2:" a Bold, Brilliant Sequel Kids Won’t Fully Get — but That’s Okay!

[the following review is spoiler-free]

If you are a parent to any young children, there's a good chance you've been dragged to your local movie theater this past week to see Disney's newest feature: Zootopia 2. And if you're someone who stays up to date with the film world, you're probably aware of the fact that the movie has already grossed half a billion dollars in less than a week, making it on track to be one of the highest grossing films of all time. Putting other titles like Wicked: For Good and The Running Man to shame. Whether or not you're planning on seeing the film, there's no doubt we have a new cultural mainstay on our hands with Zootopia 2, but is Disney's newest picture deserving of all this success?

The first Zootopia film came out in 2016, directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, the movie both a commercial and critical success, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Zootopia had something for all audiences, brightly colored cute characters for kids and genuinely thought-provoking social commentary for older viewers. While the film appears to be a squeaky clean romp through an anthropomorphic world, Zootopia was at its core, a film about discrimination, social norms, prejudice, and the problems that plague everyday society. It was easy Disney's most mature film since The Incredibles, and its maturity was its greatest strength. Zootopia 2 not only understands this, but pushes this even further. The film's commentary goes far beyond, "treat people the way you want to be treated," instead mirroring real-world issues that will go right over the heads of most juvenile viewers.

Zootopia 2 follows the characters from the first film, police officer duo, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they take on their biggest case yet. With the help of some new characters, they must uncover their city's lost secret: what happened to all the reptiles? As it turns out, mammals and reptiles used to live in harmony in Zootopia before some high-ranking powers sought out to not only bury their neighborhood, but contributions to the city at large. With the help of their new viper friend, Gary, Judy and Nick uncover a major conspiracy involving Zootopia's elites.

If that plot sounds incredibly...mature to you, you're not alone. Zootopia 2 is a film that mirrors the unfair discrimination that millions around the world have experienced throughout history. Despite admiring Disney's boldness, I couldn't help but wonder as the credits rolled: are kids going to understand this?

The answer I ultimately came up with is: no, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Disney and Pixar both have a history of taking serious subject matters and putting them against a backdrop that younger audiences will understand. While they may not understand the full gravity of the subject or its real world consequences on first watch, it plants seeds in their heads that will grow and bloom one day, strengthening their moral character. WALL-E might seem like it's just a film about a cute little robot maneuvering through space but as audiences age, they will be able to grasp the environmentalist message, growing a deeper appreciation for the planet. Ratatouille isn't just a movie about a rat who becomes a chef, it's about following your dreams and never letting other people limit your ambitions because of your background. When you think about those films, Zootopia 2 fits right in with the rest of Disney's catalogue.

In terms of technical aspects, Zootopia 2 is yet again another gorgeous film from the world's biggest animation studio. Character designs are engaging, with dynamic lighting choices and truly inspired environments. To put it briefly, the film cost $150 to make and you can tell. Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Fortune Feimster, and Andy Samberg all give great vocal performances. Unfortunately, despite how much of the marketing revolves around Gary the blue viper, his character hardly gets any development that could be considered satisfying. He has very little personality other than "awkward" and "silly." He's definitely one of the weaker Disney characters in recent years.

I couldn't help but notice throughout the runtime of Zootopia 2, that the filmmakers were being very intentionally ambiguous about Judy and Nick's relationship. As far as we know they are just coworkers, but there are little hints dropped to make audiences suspect they could be romantically linked. Especially when they say things like "happy anniversary!" or "you know you love me." There's a prominent subplot where the two are constantly butting heads about their worldviews and work-styles and it's clearly putting a lot of strain on their relationship, whatever that may be. Although, I can't say I blame Disney for being so reluctant to confirm anything, since every conversation about Zootopia nowadays usually diverts into one about the infamous web comic, I Will Survive. Colloquially known throughout the internet as the "Zootopia Abortion Comic," but I'll let you descend that rabbit hole on your own time.

Overall, Zootopia is another great addition to Disney's catalogue. By no means would I consider it one of their best or a personal favorite, but it has a good amount of heart and a balance of fluff and social commentary that I can't help but admire. It's a film sure to impress your five year old sibling as well as your annoying socialist teenage cousin.