Zootopia 2

Bluesky

Nine years after the smash success of the original Zootopia (aka Zootroopolis), this sequel invites viewers to catch up with earnest young police officer – and rabbit – Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her fox partner Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a reformed mischief-maker whose willingness to work with her made them both heroes. Now, however, time has passed in their world too, and they’re regarded by the rest of the department as one hit wonders best left to dealing with the boring jobs.

The early part of the plot in this instance is remarkably similar to that of The Bad Guys if seen from a law enforcement point of view, even down to the layout of the room where the intrepid pair sneak into an awards ceremony, suspecting that a heist is about to occur – but it’s where it diverges that things really get going. When sinuous interloper Gary D’Snake (Ke Huy Quan) makes off with a rare book and the rest of the department wants to lock him up, Judy, sharp as ever, suspects that something is amiss. She listens sympathetically to Gary’s side of the story, but as she and Nick learn more about him, and the secret history of their city, they find themselves on the wrong side of the law and Zootopia’s most powerful family.

With extended chase sequences and some literal cliffhangers, this delivers in the action stakes, but its primary focus is on the unravelling of a mystery. Underlying that are themes around racism, the persecution of minorities and the rewriting of history. The casting gives it additional poignancy, as Ke was himself smuggled to safety in a small boat as a four-year-old. It’s not subtle, but this is aimed at children, and it manages to avoid being patronising. Furthermore, as the minority in this case is reptiles, it prompts viewers to re-examine common phobias and consider their relationship to prejudice.

There plenty of films out this year with more dynamic, attention-grabbing animation, but where Zootopia 2 stands out is in its detail. There’s always much more going on in the background than is strictly necessary for the story. It’s not distracting but it does create a wonderfully rich world with new things to discover across a number of viewings. Where is struggles is in finding any real sense of purpose beyond the simple moral concerns addressed above. Judy’s sense of duty is a notable character trait – one which sometimes makes Nick worry about her – but there’s a lack of passion which is especially notable in light of just how much personal risk the characters take on.

The result of all this is a serviceable family film which will please kids who are already attached to the characters or particularly drawn to mysteries, but older viewers are likely to find it a bit dull. It will take something really special to pull off a third instalment after this.

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