The original Zootopia was a brilliant, Trojan-horse of a film about a vibrant city where social satire and buddy-cop action were dressed up in fur and adorable snouts. It gave us the unforgettable duo of Judy Hopps, the relentlessly optimistic rabbit, and Nick Wilde, the slyly cynical fox, charting their journey from uneasy allies to official partners in the ZPD.
The world it built was so rich and detailed that a return trip was inevitable, but the question was always: could a sequel capture that lightning again?
The answer, thankfully, is a resounding yes. Zootopia 2 picks up directly where the first film left off. Judy and Nick are officially partners, yet their clashing personalities, her perfectionism vs. his easygoing anarchy, start to test their relationship. Their latest case involves a mysterious reptile (reptiles have been absent from Zootopia for 100 years), forcing them to go undercover and explore all-new, segregated parts of the metropolis.
This film truly fires on all cylinders for everyone in the cinema. For the kids, there’s the thrilling chase, the cute animals, dazzling new environments, and the introduction of hilarious new characters (including a Quokka therapist, Dr. Fuzzby) make it a entertaining romp from start to end.
But for the parents in the audience who will no doubt need to sit through the film a number of times, this is an absolute riot too, packed with the kind of sophisticated social commentary, classic cinema homages and rapid-fire jokes that only land with an adult sensibility.
Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard clearly had a blast paying tribute to classic crime and thriller genres with unmistakable reference to The Godfather and the maze sequence from The Shining. Seeing a cartoon cat frantically navigate a dense, snowy hedge maze while Judy and Nick pursue felt surreal and wildly entertaining and a perfect example of how the film manages to wink at film history without losing its own identity.
Zootopia 2 is a hilarious return to the city that captivated audiences nine years ago. It doubles down on the first film’s core strengths and complicated bond between Judy and Nick, while expanding the world’s lore and tackling new and quite dark themes of segregation and power dynamics with maturity.
It’s smart, visually dazzling, and packed with enough laughs and cinematic nods to make it one of the most refreshing animated sequels in years.
– The Plus Ones
