What’s in a name?
If you’ve seen the original Zootopia – or if you’re fond of puns – you would likely know that the name of this animated anthropomorphic town derives from it being created as a utopia for animals. Zootopia 2 takes up where the first film about a bunny and a fox being partners in crime solving left off, then takes the concept of “zootopia” to a new level.
If you’re new to that dazzlingly bright world, here’s the primer: All animals live (mostly) peacefully together thanks to a unique climate control system that has created twelve districts to accommodate their climactic needs, such as Little Rodentia, Tundra Town, Sahara Square, and so on. Work with me here… it makes sense when you see the film, and is a delightfully ingenious alternate world filled with enough sight gags to keep young and old viewers bursting out in random spates of laugher.
Judy Hopps is the first bunny member of the Zootopia police force, fresh off her first successful case. Together with her friend, sly fox Nick Wilde, they cracked a crime ring that pitted predators against prey. Now bunny and fox are both on the force, and following up on a hunch that the legendary notebook that was genesis of the concept of Zootopia is about to be stolen at a gala. They infiltrate the gala in an attempt to try to stop the theft of the notebook but of course everything goes spectacularly wrong. Add in a giant pit viper, a chain of lynxes that are focused on greedy land-grabs that will turn even more of the town into frozen tundra, and a podcasting beaver. Now you’ve got a non-stop game of cat and mouse. Make that bunny/fox and viper/lynx. Either way, it’s a fun plot, filled with even more gorgeous animation techniques than in it’s predecessor, and a message that will resonate well beyond the districts of Zootopia.
Composer Michael Giacchino has once again crafted a score that seamlessly morphs between character leit motifs, heart-pounding action and comfortingly warm emotional scenes. The cast of characters includes many of the favorites from the original – Idris Elba is once again the burly water buffalo Chief of Police, Flash the sloth is back in slo-mo action, Gizelle the gazelle is the pop star – voiced as in the original by Shakira – who once again sings her way into every animal’s heart.
The new Zootopians we meet are just as creative. The police force has hoof-bumping zebras and warty Scottish hogs. The mayor is a flashy show-pony, in this case quite literally as Mayor Winddancer, a former equine actor with a luscious mane of… mane. At the heart of the story is a mysterious blue pit viper called Gary De’Snake. Yes, a snake. No, you did not see any snakes in the first movie. You get to find out why in this one. Ke Huy Quan voices Gary, and while it might seem impossible to have nuance and dimension in a pit viper, he pulls it off beautifully.
Jared Bush wrote and co-directed the film. It’s packed with inside jokes for every age and takes animation to a glorious new level. It has the perfect message at the perfect time. Will there be a Zootopia 3? I hope so. I’d be tempted to move there.