Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who turns the mammal metropolis of Zootopia upside down. Testing their growing partnership like never before, they go under cover in new parts of town to crack the case.
(C) Disney
It's always nice to revisit a world you once loved, but finding a justification to extend the story is always a challenge. The novelty factor can also wear off. Zootopia 2 has this novelty issue, but with a seemingly genuine story to tell, the return to this beloved world is undeniably welcome.
While it was vague or generalized in its marketing, I'm partly surprised by the direction of the story this time. This isn’t to say it feels forced. On the contrary, it fits perfectly in this world, though it’s admittedly a bit familiar. It may not be as polished as the original in how it gets there, but its relevance in today’s world is still spot-on. This has always been Zootopia’s edge among its modern-classic peers: tackling harder subject matter while remaining accessible to all ages.
How? The film remains fun and imaginative, just like its predecessor. There are jokes for everybody, and they’re hilarious. The references will make you do the Leonardo DiCaprio meme many times. The little extra details in the visual storytelling skillfully showcase the team’s effort.
And of course, there are the two lead characters voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman. The buddy-comedy angle is still worth seeing, as is the way they continue to fuel partnership moments to the delight of their shippers. While integral, Ke Huy Quan’s role is surprisingly smaller than one would’ve expected, but he’s delightful here.
Very pleasssed to say that Zootopia 2 is great. It’s definitely Disney Animation’s best sequel yet. 4/5 ⭐
