Zootropolis (Zootopia)

'Zootropolis' or 'Zootopia' depending where you are in the world is the latest movie to come from animation juggernauts Disney. 'Zootropolis' is set in a world completely inhabited by animals and more precisely a large city with the tittle name. This concept has worked for Disney in the past but would 'Zootropolis' continue that run of form?


The city of Zootropolis is home to mammals of all sizes from enormous elephants to the smallest shrews. Predators and prey now live together in perfect harmony. The city has a new police officer in Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the first ever rabbit to be a cop. Instantly she isn't given any help from her new colleagues and nobody believes in her true ability. However, when some predators start to go missing, it is questioned if the predators can be trusted. Judy offers her services to look for a missing otter but she has a time limit. If she fails, she loses her job. To do this she will require the help of Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a cunning and sly fox. An odd pairing will need to leave their differences a side in order to crack the case for Zootropolis' sake.

Now most of the time when a Disney film or any animated film comes out, a lot of people will dismiss it claiming it to be only for children. To be fair there are a lot that will come out solely for children's entertainment. However you also have the films like Inside Out that albeit animated are arguably just as suited for adults due to the story lines and key messages throughout. Zootropolis most definitely stands in the latter category. There's no doubt that kid will be entertained by this but adults will also appreciate it's humour and it's maturity in its story. The film tackles an issue that is very clear to see in today's society. That issue being discrimination. The predators are discriminated in this due to actions of a small selection of predators. Now with the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels, how similar does this seem to real life right now? With a lot of innocent people being blamed for actions of certain lunatics all due to ones race, nationality or beliefs. The film reflects the real world pretty perfectly and is brave to tackle this issue. It is also very important to be teaching kids from a young age that this is not ok and shouldn't be done. By teaching them this at a young age is vital as in essence, it will be creating a better world for tomorrow.

That's not the only message within the film. Judy Hopps is shown to have wanted to have been a police officer since she was a little girl and from day one was always told that she wouldn't make it. However she never once gave up on her dreams and continued to work her way to reach her goals. Another great message for the audience both young and older: you can do anything you want and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. What a great message for children especially as they may look at the character Judy as being much smaller but won't let anything stand in the way of her dreams. The will and determination from Judy when everyone was against her shows that anything is possible if you really want it.

Now what Disney have done phenomenally well is combining these deeper messages with fantastic humour. The movie is laugh out loud funny which is something a lot of comedies this year have actually struggled to do. There are many times where both children and adults will find hilarious showing a brilliant mix of humour for all ages to enjoy. There are some surprises throughout the movie that really hit and will make you laugh out loud. Particularly funny moments for myself involved the Fennec fox looking animal as well as the incredibly funny sloths I cannot fault the comedy at all in 'Zootropolis', some truly great work from the writers.

The film is thoroughly entertaining throughout the run time and I can't see why anybody would get bored from watching this film. This is mainly down to how well the two leads play off one another in 'Zootropolis'. The unusual pairing are great to watch as they bicker constantly at the start of their partnership. As the duo grow closer and learn more about each other, they become a very efficient and entertaining team. Credit has to go to both of the voice actors Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman. Goodwin was perfect as the sweet innocent little bunny who just wanted to make a difference. She was fantastic as Judy and worked perfectly alongside Bateman's Nick Wilde. Speaking of Bateman, the casting for him to be the clever fox really is one of the best choices for an animated character. He provided the wit that was vital for the character and was magnificent throughout. The chemistry between the two worked perfectly to delight of all the viewers.

It was also fantastic to see a world completely inhabited by animals as if they were humans. It was great seeing all the different aspects of the worlds due to the specific regions such as Tundra Town or in the Rainforest District. Some regions were more exploited than the others which may of been done to leave other areas to explore further in potential sequels. I would've liked to have seen more of the different areas but I can see why possibly they have limited it for now. It was still great seeing how many different animals would go around day to day life such as how transport would work for many different creatures. This lead to some highly entertaining short scenes that worked to great effect.

Final verdict: Zootropolis =
A fantastic animated movie from Disney that is both hilarious and tackles some serious issues in the world today. A must see for everybody.

So have you seen Zootropolis? If so what did you think of it? If you plan on going to see it, I hope this review has helped you choose to see it and hope that you enjoy this movie as much as I did! Once again thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor

I really want to see it, but unfortunately, they're only playing the Dutch version of it here in Belgium (because it's supposed to be a film for childeren), so I'll have to wait until it becomes available for home viewing.

Glad you liked it!

Awk that sucks, I'm sure you'll really enjoy it when you get to see it though!

Don’t get me wrong, Netflix is great. But don’t you sometimes wish they had more recent and established movies to watch? I’m not talking about the junk that had a piss-poor performance at the box office and came to Netflix to die (I’m looking at you, London Has Fallen). I’m talking about movies that are both relevant AND good–ones that make you feel like you’re actually getting a good value from your Netflix subscription.

To add to their credibility, Netflix has added the latest animated film from Disney Animation Studios, 2016’s Zootopia. In addition to being a much needed boost to the Netflix lineup of movies, Disney’s Zootopia is a welcomed addition to the recent batch of praise-worthy animated films from Disney (Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6) after they suffered a stint of, shall we say, underwhelming entries, including Chicken Little, Meet the Robinson’s, and Bolt. With this film, Disney has managed to accomplish one of the feats that makes their affiliate company, Pixar, so successful. That is, they have put together a film that can be enjoyed exceptionally by both children and adults.

The plot of Zootopia tells the tale of a female rabbit named Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) who wants to become the first ever bunny police officer in a society where that particular occupation is dominated by larger and more imposing species. As viewers, we are initially led to believe that, in this world, bunnies are (stereo)typically carrot farmers who live a simple life and do their best to avoid threatening species, like foxes. Similarly, foxes are typically perceived and treated as deceptive liars who cannot be trusted. It seems as if each of the species are treated according to typical, preconceived notions.

In the first scene of the film we are given the knowledge of a seemingly magical metropolis by the name of “Zootopia”, where “anyone can be anything”. This belief is what initially sparks Judy’s dream of becoming a member of the ZPD (Zootopia Police Department). She quickly finds her way to Zootopia and accomplishes her dream, but not without quickly realizing that the city is not everything it’s cracked up to be. She finds herself a victim of discrimination and, in turn, faced with a seemingly impossible task of having to track down a missing otter with the help of a sleazy fox (voiced by Jason Bateman) in only 48 hours with virtually no resources. Failure to complete this task will result in her termination from the ZPD. Meanwhile, the predator species of Zootopia are becoming violent and savage, and no one knows why…

The central story of Zootopia is essentially a modern day social commentary, but is cleverly disguised as an adorable, funny, and fuzzy tale (tail?) about personified animals. Children will undoubtedly enjoy the mood, characters, and humor. Adults will also enjoy the humor, along with a story that doesn’t insult their intelligence and is one that they haven’t heard a hundred times before. Most adults will also likely immediately notice the allegory pertaining to race, gender, and social class. Values of workplace gender equality, racial stereotypes, the effects of mass media, and racial-police relations are all addressed as well. But these undertones are not shoved down your throat, and the story is engaging enough and is peppered with enough relatable jokes that you won’t feel like you’re being preached to.

Another inclusion that makes this movie so enjoyable is the way that the story ties together the general nuances of certain species of animals with those of humans in the real world. One of the funniest scenes of the movie shows Judy and Nick traveling to the DMV to uncover the owner of a vehicle whose license plate they are trying to track. As soon as they enter, they realize that the entire DMV is employed by, you guessed it, sloths. The way in which the scene plays out is both hilarious and relatable to pretty much anyone whose ever been to the DMV. There are several other punchlines that are a similar play on our two worlds…including some that have a more mature undertone. For instance, when a new acquaintance refers to Judy as a “cute little bunny”, she politely informs him that, while its okay for one bunny call another bunny cute, when other animals do it, it’s “a little” offensive (that’s one that might go over the head of little Johnny).

The overall theme of everyone having equal opportunity is wonderfully, yet indiscreetly complimented by the hit single “Try Anything” by the pop sensation, Gazelle (voiced by Shakira). The song is just catchy enough to be enjoyable, but not to the extent that every kid will be singing it for three straight years (unlike Frozen‘s “Let It Go”). The track also makes for a perfect cap-off to the movie in the form of an end-credit scene that will leave most viewers smiling when the film ends. In addition to Shakira, the additional voice talent in this film is superb. We are graced with the presence (or voices, at least) of A-listers such as Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, and even Tommy Chong. The animation team of this film should not go unmentioned, either, as this film is visually stunning. It’s easy to take this for granted. But it adds so much to the experience when it could easily take away from it if poorly executed.

At the end of the day, this film is funny, heart-felt, and simply pure entertainment for nearly everyone (that has a soul, that is). In addition to being entertaining, it provides a message that, especially in today’s society, needs to be addressed more than ever. I highly anticipate Zootopia being a front-runner for best animated picture at the 2017 Academy Awards.

Smart, original and surprisingly satirical, Zootopia is a very fun ride that might turn out to be the best animated film of the year

Director: Byron Howard and Rich Moore

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, JK Simmons and Octavia Spencer

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy


Zootopia is a very welcome breath of fresh air to the animated film industry. Like last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Inside Out’, this film deals with practical issues and is highly original. Moreover, it has warmth, emotional depth and is packed with genuine comedic scenes.

Zootopia is set in a world that is entirely populated by animals of all kinds. However, these animals can walk, talk, and carry out their daily lives similar to way human beings do. This sets up a really interesting premise to the whole film. The film’s protagonist is a rabbit called Judy Hopps who is from the rural town of Bunnyburrow (pun intended, right?). She fulfills her childhood dream of becoming the first rabbit police officer in Zootopia, the urban utopia of the animal world. But things are not a walk in the park for her in Zootopia. She faces constant discrimination in the police force due to the fact that she is a rabbit (which is considered to be one the weakest animals in the whole animal kingdom) and soon starts to discover that Zootopia is not the perfect city it appears to be on the surface. Judy’s passion and determination helps her to keep going on. She soon forms an unlikely partnership with a con artist fox to uncover a major conspiracy about the governance of the city.

The setting of the city of Zootopia is very imaginative and is brought to life with some really exceptional visual effects. In fact, the animation throughout the whole film is quite aesthetically and visually appealing.

The writing is one of the films greatest strengths. Themes of breaking stereotypes, self-belief, challenging the status quo and prejudice are beautifully woven into the narrative. Moreover, what makes Zootopia a real standout film is its satirical undertones. There is also a really smart and hilarious homage to ‘The Godfather’ in the movie.

Hence, Zootopia is a film you should definitely watch regardless of whether you are a child or an adult. There is something in this movie for all age groups. It will definitely be nominated for ‘Best Animated Feature’ at the upcoming Academy Awards and as things stand right now, is the frontrunner to win it. Zootopia is a classic example of the transition that animated films are undergoing nowadays that is they are dealing with real life themes and issues. I believe that this transition is a healthy one and might play a pivotal role in reviving the golden era of animated films that we witnessed in the early 2000s.

FINAL RATING: 4.5/5

Imo, it's a very good movie.

I like how it emphasizes nuance, something that many animated movies don't do. A balance between practicality and idealism. Zootopia isn't the perfect utopia it was expected to be. Yet at the same time, its many flaws doesn't mean that it's unfixable or that happiness is impossible. Which is very similar to our current society.

It gives a message of "follow your dreams", but also, there will be challenges and not everything is perfect, so it's done in a believable way.


Overall, 8/10

wonder if they gonna make Zootopia 2 in the future. loved that movie