There’s certainly the Frozen Fanatics. Or the Moana Maniacs. Or the Enc…shhh!!! we don’t talk about it. But for my money, Disney’s 15 year Renaissance peaked with Zootopia, a beautiful miracle of perfect movie entertainment. That movie was so smart and rich, that I couldn’t wait for a sequel. Well absence has only made the heart grow fonder. Zootopia 2 isn’t the revelation the first was, but it proves that the well of storytelling isn’t close to dry…and if we’re lucky, could just be getting started.
It’s been a week since the close of the first Zootopia. Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) has put behind his sneaky fox criminal ways and gone to work for the police, alongside his partner, and Zootopia hero Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin). But after a week, all is not hunky dory. The ambitious duo disobeys Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) and causes a PR disaster for him and Milton Lynxley (David Strathairn), the city’s chief real estate mogul. Bad timing, since the Zootopia Centennial is fast approaching, and rumours abound about a possible snake (Ke Huy Quan) making an appearance in the city for the first time in years.
Cities have endless challenges of all types. And that’s why we could have 10 more Zootopias: just pick a new problem for this movie. Last time it was institutional racism. What’s been the hot topic of the last 10 years, and what does that have to do with city life? Anyone who’s watched US news programs will see clearly what “Tundra Town Expansion” and “snow displacement” or the “Marsh Market underground” mean we’re gonna make gentrification understandable for kids. Also no surprise, some key new figures living on the fringes are voiced by John Leguizamo, Danny Trejo, and Ke Huy Quan. Throw in the well-to-do of Zootpian society are Andy Samberg and David Strathairn, playing real estate zillionaires? Any adult will figure this out right away, sucking a little air out of the movie’s balloon, but only a little. The use of animals is a magic trick that makes what transpires work while firmly keeping the story digestible for children. Regardless, Z2’s story is powerful as ever, due to the constant neighborhood cycling and its consequences, and the wonderful voice work from all the actors, melting away the stereotypes, the sneaky clever part of Zootopia 2.
Build that problem around a police detective story, and BAM! Every movie is an exciting caper that takes us to new parts of the city. In this case, we get to see the high highs of a Zootopia gala, and the low lows of the bayou Marsh saloons and worm salads. With little visits here and there to old friends like Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche). New animals get new fun moments, like a walrus (David VanTuyle) beaver (Fortune Feimster) interaction that will rile kids up with laughter, or a reminder how lizards run on water. Not to mention just an incredible number of name, sight, and movie gags, none made me laugh harder than a Tundra Town maze that, um, will be instantly recognizable once the music cue hits. Anchoring this whole tale together are our lovely partners. Ginnifer Goodwin is perky and Type A as ever as Judy Hopps. Goodwin walks the line brilliantly of making the rabbit the right mixture of open hearted and ultra-determined, making her annoying just the right amount but still easy to root for. But Jason Bateman’s Nick Wilde is always gonna be my favorite. His conception as a smartass hiding deep fear and insecurity is perfect movie catnip, because when he actually feels something real, it hits twice as hard.
I hope we don’t have to wait another decade for one of these. Strike while the iron is hot Disney, and get the next Zootopia going ASAP. Let’s get our duo fully immersed into the police force…only to have corrupt police doing Zootopia’s version of civil asset forfeiture, taking squirrel’s nuts or putting a literal shakedown on a niffler. Come on, the jokes and story writes itself!