Zootopia 2, 2025.
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard.
Featuring the voice talents of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Shakira, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Patrick Warburton, and Quinta Brunson.
SYNOPSIS:
Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.
Director Jared Bush and Byron Howard’s Zootopia 2 expands on the titular world while giving rookie police officers Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) a case to solve that tests their friendship and partnership. More accurately, the hyperactive Judy, who always feels she has something to prove (whether to her family, friends, or co-workers who don’t believe she is fit for the job and that their crime-solving in the events of the first film was a fluke), repeatedly defies orders, coercing the carefree Nick into conducting investigations beyond their rank. She believes something sketchy is going on involving the return of reptiles (which turns out to be Gary De’Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan) and their connection to 100 a 100-year-old artifact book on Zootopia, as written by the wealthy Lynxley patriarch.
Without diving too far into spoiler details, this is a sequel (once again written by Jared Bush) that is using an animal utopia to explore everything from race relations to stereotypes and more, with a larger focus this time on stolen land. It’s also highly amusing, cleverly creating gags and puns involving various species that don’t feel cheap. There are also a couple of brilliant Disney animation references, including one related to Ratatouille.
With so many animals here, ranging from podcasting critters to popstar gazelles to dim-witted horse mayors and cowboy- reminiscent lizards and shady cats and Ze-bros (played by professional wrestlers Roman Reigns and CM Punk), the sheer amount of talent, whether they be sizable roles or cameos, that world also feels fleshed out and packed in a manner that some of these mainstream animated features haven’t lately. That’s not to say more is better, because the reality is this is a film that’s also concerned with important topical themes and isn’t just out to entertain children and adults alike.
Nevertheless, Judy suspects that the book, which holds a mysterious secret, is about to be stolen by a snake. The questions that arise are: why have reptiles never set foot in Zootopia for nearly 100 years, and why did they return now? As the plot thickens and pushes Judy and Nick (the latter wants to stay home and watch TV, cynical that police work, whether successful or not, will actually make this world a happier, more tolerant place) into unexplored areas, including a marsh and more, they find themselves increasingly in peril. However, after one encounter with Gary, it becomes clear that whatever violent stories are fed about snakes are not true here, as he wishes to clear his family’s name regarding something that once happened when reptiles thrived here. Gary is also aided by a younger cat of the Lynxley tribe, Pawbert (voiced by Andy Samberg), who is concerned with justice and proving that he is nothing like his father (voiced by David Strathairn).
Even if the banter between Judy and Nick occasionally becomes repetitive (he wants nothing to do with pursuing this case, but for reasons other than sheer laziness and cynicism), Zootopia 2 is no sloth and moves like a cheetah from place to place, each with an assortment of new characters to mine for laughs or poignancy. There is also one genuine surprise involving the mystery, which unfolds as an exciting and dazzling adventure across Zootopia.
Once again, there is heart in the central dynamic between fox and rabbit, imbued with touching voiceover performances that, this time, emphasize that differences should be celebrated just as much as similarities. It never reaches the heights of its incredible predecessor, but from minute to minute and moment to moment, Zootopia 2 understands why that film worked in the first place and how to replicate much of that humor and drama, all with astonishingly detailed animation.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
