Disney / Buena Vista
Almost a decade on from Zootopia, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) return in the aptly named sequel Zootopia 2 to enthrall audiences with a new adventure.
Having barely started in their new roles at the Zootopia Police Department, the unlikely duo keeps butting heads, but while infiltrating the high-profile Zootennial Gala, they stumble upon a complex plot that threatens to topple Zootopia’s status quo.
The pair once again have to put their differences aside in order to play to their complimentary strengths if they want to get to the bottom of the mystery and ensure justice is served.
The first Zootopia was well-received for two reasons; it had a great buddy comedy dynamic thanks to Goodwin and Bateman, and it also succeeded in relatably paraphrasing social issues, essential elements that are once again in the driver’s seat for the sequel.
As such, it is more of the same, however, when the original film was as well-received by audiences and critics alike as it was, sticking to a true and tested formula is not a bad thing.
Goodwin and Bateman’s dynamic is once again the heart of the film, with the earnest social commentary refocusing its lens to current issues that resonate well without becoming hamfisted.
By mirroring contemporary, real-life social issues in the narrative, gentle context is provided for younger viewers, just as this approach allows more mature audience members to enjoy the film beyond the surface level.
It is not all thematic doom and gloom, however, as there is also plenty of humor to be found, giving our protagonists an engaging mesh of characters to play against, not to mention how new characters such as the misunderstood serpent Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan) and conspiracy theorist beaver Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster) add additional richness to the tapestry of characters as a whole.
Similarly, there are also a myriad of well-conceived references to iconic pop culture elements, lending the film a sly wit that works better than most mainstream films that imbue their proceedings with such references, as Zootopia 2 manages to execute them particularly well.
Much like the first Zootopia, the sequel offers an engaging story with a playful and charming dynamic, and it does so with its heart in the right place, helping Zootopia 2 to stand out against the overworked, hyper-thematic competition, and making it a solid follow-up that is sure to thrill fans of the first film, and it would hardly be surprising to see the success repeated in potential future installments.
Verdict: 7 out of 10.
