Ever since she was a child, Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer
Goodwin) has always wanted to be a cop. Whilst this is an unusual dream (there
has never been a rabbit cop before), she succeeds and is immediately dispatched
to the heart of the capitol city Zootropolis, only to be dismissed to parking
duty by the consistently put-upon Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba). However,
when the chance to prove herself arises with a worrying spat of disappearances,
Judy sets off to solve the case along with a roped-in con artist fox named Nick
Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman).
As it is a Disney production, you’d expect the animation to
be first-rate, and Zootropolis doesn’t
cease to amaze in that department. The film is never anything less than
gorgeous to look at, whether in the sun-draped landscapes of Judy’s home-town
or the dark and ominous locations which she and Nick investigate. Those latter
locations are great nods to the debt Zootropolis
owes old-school film noir, and the attention to detail only adds greater
potency to what is already a surprisingly involving mystery plot. The level of
detail in every frame is simply mind-boggling, and there are many scenes which
don’t fail to take the breath away. From a purely visual standpoint, my favourite
sequence has to be Judy’s journey to and arrival in Zootropolis. There is a real
sense of discovery in this scene, of a new world being unravelled before your
eyes, and as corny as this may sound, that scene is simply draped in the magic
which defines Disney. When even the subtlest of twitches in a character’s face
is a fantastic visual touch, you know that you’re getting something beautiful
to behold.
But, while Disney are well-known for their high-quality
animation, they’re also well-known for their lovable characters, something
which Zootropolis really excels at.
This is a great, eclectic cast of characters, and whilst a good deal of credit
for this should go to the screen-writing team of co-director Jared Bush and
Phil Johnston for their wonderful and deceptive clever script, a great deal of
these characters’ appeal really does come from the cast. First and foremost is
Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps. Simply put, Goodwin is pure perfection in the
role, turning Judy into a strong, determined and adorable lead character. Judy’s
journey and personality are genuinely relatable, and Goodwin helps to make the
character even more identifiable and bubbly whilst steering clear of the risk
of coming across as a goody-two shoes by lending some lovable sass to
proceedings, especially in her scenes with Nick. Speaking of Nick, Jason Bateman
is as terrific as always as the cool con artist with hidden depths (as revealed
in a surprisingly dark scene). Bateman is a comedic master with
cool-as-a-cucumber delivery, which almost guarantees that all of Nick’s funny
lines land brilliantly, but he also gives extra weight and dimension to the
role and is given even more presence through the spectacular chemistry he
shares with Goodwin. Simply put, the pairing of Judy and Nick is one of the
best pairings I think I have ever seen from a Disney film. Their rapport is so
effortless and endearing that I’d probably be comfortable watching them chat
over a cup of coffee, and their different personalities complement each other
perfectly.
Surrounding Goodwin and Bateman is a truly sensational cast.
As far as scene-stealing goes, the top prize has to go to Idris Elba. Elba is
simply having a blast as Chief Bogo, bringing his usual weight and powerful
presence to the role but proving a genuine surprise in his wonderfully funny
delivery. Bogo is a fantastic character, and Elba is pitch-perfect. If his
voice work here is anything to go by, his performance as Shere Khan in the new Jungle Book will hopefully be amazing
(and, from what I’ve heard thus far, it really is). Nate Torrence brings an
infectious energy to Desk Sergeant Clawhauser, whilst Jenny Slate is likeably
put-upon as Assistant Mayor Dawn Bellwether. As I said in my Kung Fu Panda 3 review, J.K. Simmons
seems to have taken a sudden interest in anthropomorphic animals this year;
whilst his performance here isn’t as prominent as in that other film, Simmons
still does typically strong work as Mayor Lionheart. Don Lake and Bonnie Hunt
are both immensely warm and realistically worried as Judy’s parents; the scenes
where they try to temper their daughter’s dreams with what they perceive to be
reality is something which will prove easily identifiable for many people,
whether they be a parent or a child. Alan Tudyk (who’s quickly becoming one of
my favourite voice actors based on his transformative work in nearly every
Disney animated film since Wreck-It Ralph)
adds yet another great vocal turn to his resume as thief Duke Weaselton; the character’s
name and Tudyk’s voice combined pose one of at least two in-jokes aimed towards
a certain Disney hit involving an ice queen. Finally, pop star Shakira has a
very small role as, well, pop star Gazelle; her only significant piece of
dialogue comes during a beautifully written and performed monologue in the
latter part of the film. Her real contribution to the film comes during the
film’s main song, Try Everything,
which is a truly catchy and wonderful tune which I find difficult to get out of
my head.
The greatest strength of Zootropolis,
and the greatest surprise for me personally, is just how adult it is. Some of
the humour really pushes the PG rating, particularly with a hysterical
reference to a certain TV show which was so audacious I couldn’t help but laugh
out loud. And the chase sequences, whilst starting off on an inventively hilarious
note with a decidedly ‘small-scale’ pursuit, prove surprisingly intense and
frightening later in proceedings, with one chase through the jungle proving to
be a genuinely edge-of-the-seat affair. What really makes the film seem more
mature than initial observation might suggest is the exploration of the
thematic material on display. The issue of prejudice is front and centre, with
Judy trying her best to perform her job but consistently being under-estimated
by those around her. However, one smart move from the filmmakers is in not making
her innocent either; Judy makes some serious mistakes, for which there are
serious consequences. Whereas other Disney films might have played this for
comedy or not treated it with as much weight, Judy is justifiably held
accountable for her actions, which makes her only seem like more of a flesh-and-blood
real character. Later in the film, the issue of prejudice becomes even more
prevalent, straying into potential discussions of racial tensions. I’d like to
say that these issues aren’t evident in today’s world, but judging by
particular political situations especially in the U.S, that’s not the case. I
can’t applaud the filmmakers enough for tackling these themes in a powerful way
which speaks to both children and adults; for children, it’s important to learn
never to rush to conclusions (since this is something which even some adults
struggle with), and for adults it’s important to see family entertainment which
is not only capable of offering a great and fun experience but also treating
them with respect. This is a Disney film where one character says, with a
resigned sadness, that ‘the world has always been broken’. Major props go to
the directing team of Jared Bush, Rich Moore and Byron Howard and the two
screenwriters for refusing to sugar-coat real and true points of life, whilst
making a poignantly hopeful statement about how it’s possible to transcend your
perceived stereotype with determination, hard work and self-belief.
So how great is Zootropolis
(and yes, I consider this to be a great film?) Well, I’ve been thinking about
this for a while. I’ve been considering all of the Disney films of the last two
decades, and I’m going to make this statement; in my opinion, Zootropolis is the best Disney animated
film since 1996’s The Hunchback of Notre
Dame (that’s not including Pixar’s output, though). I know that’s a bold
statement to make, since there have been many fantastic films from Disney’s
animation department since 1996 (I’m really fond of the likes of Mulan, Tarzan, Treasure Planet, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen).
I’ve been trying to think of any issues I may have, and I’ve got nothing. Sure,
there may be some predictable moments, but they are executed so organically and
fit in so well with the themes of the film that I really can’t take much issue.
This is a real gem, beautifully paced and scored impeccably by the genius
composer Michael Giacchino. The glorious animation and wonderful characters are
critical parts of the film’s success, but what really helps to take the film up
to an even higher level are the thematic power and the sensational
world-building. Thematically, this is a Disney film which takes its seemingly
childish story and imbues it with genuinely adult intelligence. The emphasis on
prejudice and fear so easily creating social barriers makes this a timely and
relevant piece of entertainment, and the treatment of the subject matter by the
directors and writers is profoundly confident. As for the world-building, this
is a world which feels like it was crafted with care, assuredness and great
attention; whilst the film offers more than enough personality for the
different environments to prove captivating, there is more than enough
unexplored territory to make me want a sequel. And I do want a sequel ASAP.
After a marvellous final monologue, even the terrific final joke gets across
the film’s prominent message that you would never buy into someone because of
any potential stereotypes. And on that grace note, my love for this film was
solidified.
Final Verdict
Zootropolis is one
of the biggest cinematic delights in recent memory, and is one of the best
Disney films in a long time. The animation is typically superlative and the
cast is close to pitch-perfect, but the directors and writers take proceedings
to an even greater level through their surprisingly mature work; not only does
the humour and action venture into some risqué and intense territory, but the
thematic material concerning prejudice and fear is given real weight and
poignancy. The world of Zootropolis,
both in the environments and the characters, is simply spectacular, and I would
jump at the chance to revisit this world. Come on, Disney; please make it
happen.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
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