Zootopia
ZOOTOPIA
Although I am a Pixar fan, Disney Dreamworks has created some amazing films as well. I am a huge fan of Big Hero 6 (BH6) and so I was very excited to see their newest animated film Zootopia. With me I had a tough critic…my 4 year old daughter. She is also a BH6 fanatic and as she claims “it’s the best movie ever.” So I wanted to see what her thoughts were.
Zootopia is a combination detective story part action flick, if you can separate those two genres. But it becomes early on that the true underlying message of the film is about institutionalized racism. In a universe where animals evolved beyond just predator and prey, the main character Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a farm rabbit that will stop at nothing to fulfill her dream of becoming the first bunny cop for mega-metropolis Zootopia. Early on the city is described as a multicultural haven for both predators and prey. It doesn’t take long for the films undertones of racism, discrimination, and segregation to appear. Although she proved herself to be an outstanding recruit and graduating top of her class, officer Hopps is shunted to parking-meter duty on her first day by a system that doesn’t believe her “kind” can do real police work and becomes the “token bunny” of the department. Judy becomes entangled with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a con-artist fox that lives life one hustle at a time. After arresting Wilde, Hopps must make use of his hustling skills to uncover a conspiracy happening with in the city of Zootopia. Animals-in this case meat eaters- are losing control and returning to their “Savage” ways attacking other species unprovoked. The film smartly plays with societies current state and with an election year where the front runner has openly demonized people for their race or beliefs Zootopia’s timing is nothing if not perfect. I am sure that this film will upset many especially many who did not agree with animated films such as WALL-E whose political undertones ruffled a few feathers. Zootopia takes a crack at showing us that although we might be evolved we are still animals in many ways and that our own prejudices play a great role in what this would can and will be.
Although I did love this film, it does have very very VERY adult under tones. My daughter who is not frightened easily did hide under my arm a couple of times and afterwards did say that the movie was scary. The film is as good as we have come to expect from Dreamworks, however this time some of the jokes have very adult undertones and some parts pay homage to classic films and shows such as The Godfather and Breaking Bad, and although I love both of these they are by any means child appropritate. For the fist time I am torn apart with this film…Although the topic of the film is something that needs to be shared and in order to create change, I am not sure that it is appropriate for younger children. All in all Zootopia touches a topic that we don’t like to discuss and hides it as we do behind a curtain of rainbows and fluffy bunnies but unfortunately we know that the world we currently live in needs work from all of us. Dreamworks does present it in a very fun and creative way and for that I once again applaud them.
9 out of 10
by Hiram Trillo
