This week we decided to see Disney’s Zootropolis. You may know it as Zootopia dependant on where you are based. We liked the concept of a Bunny teaming up with its ‘enemy’ a fox, to fight crime for the ZPD (Zoo Police Department)
To be honest, it was also a great choice for us, as this film had not been ruined by an extensive marketing campaign, with about 40 different trailers. So we had not been told everything that would happen.
This of course maybe in general, we don’t see the films where the audience would normally come from. In fact, the only full trailer we saw for it, was when we saw Kung Fu Panda 3
Up until this point, we had only seen a great teaser trailer involving the DMV, run by the incredibly slow Sloths! That being said, going back to our earlier point, this was a great scene and it would have been great to have seen it first in the film!
The film is about a bunny rabbit named Judy Hopps (voiced by TV’s Once Upon a Time, Ginnifer Goodwin) who from a young age, has a desire to be an office for the ZPD!
This being a Disney film, that journey is told wonderfully, we see Judy’s early school days. Performing in a play where she shares her ZPD dream.
Unfortunately, we also see other horrors from her young age, we see bullying and name calling and the dismissal of others for her being a rabbit. This is needed for the film, as in one sequence Judy, whilst standing up to a fellow Fox student, is beaten and we learn why she has a fear of them from it.
After getting through the Zoo police academy, done with a montage sequence, she finally makes it into the ZPD! Here she faces all sorts of prejudices, due to her species and size (possibly for being female too)
She is eventually assigned a parking warden job as deemed not worthy of helping find the 14 missing Zootropolis residents by her chief of police Bogo, voiced by Idris Elba.
Whilst handing out parking tickets, she comes face to face with a fox called Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) She finds him trying to get a lolly for his son, from an Elephant run store. The Elephant tells Nick ‘they do not serve his kind!’
Judy sees the upset son and orders that the elephant serve Nick or she will get them closed down for food violations, due to them serving from a non-gloved trunk. We soon learn that this is part of an elaborate con scheme Nick has going on, where he turns the Elephant sized Ice Lolly into Lemming sized
We soon learn that this is part of an elaborate con scheme Nick has going on, where he turns the Elephant sized Ice Lolly into Lemming sized ices for a tidy profit. When Judy confronts Nick, he shrugs it off and says she has been just part of a hustle!
Judy hurt by this and depressed her ZPD dream has not gone as planned, returns to handing out parking tickets. During this, a chance encounter sees her in a position to stop a robbery from a Weasel!
She catches the criminal and saves the life of a young female Shrew, who just so happens to be the daughter of Mr Big (the films excellent version of the godfather)
Despite all this, Judy is deemed to have caused reckless endangerment to many and told to hand in her badge. Judy pleading for one more chance, takes on the case of a missing otter. who has not been found despite ZPD efforts and is seen as an unsolveable case.
This excites the sheep Assistant mayor, looking for results. Judy is given just 48 hours to solve this case or head back to carrot farming with her mum and dad!
She, through the con played on her, learns how to hustle Nick to help her solve the case, using his knowledge of the street and contacts. Much like many cop buddy movies, a bond is formed.
They not only find the Otter, but find a conspiracy that will undo the harmony of the Zootropolis residents! We learn that Predators have been drugged to attack their former prey and no longer live together as one.
Unrest hits all, feeling they can no longer all get along with each other, and judgements are made, even by Judy herself, causing huge damage to her friendship with Nick!
It is a testament to this film that it deals with these strong issues of exclusion; prejudices; racism; sexism and all, whilst still being an excellent buddy movie about a fox and a rabbit.
The message is delivered wonderfully that we should all live together harmoniously, whatever our race or colour. Why we should never judge people on past experiences and prove once again that Disney are still masters of the animation film
Excellent cast and characters (Flash the sloth is easily our favourite) and a great script delivering great humour and messages, this could easily make our top 10 of the year.
Did you enjoy Zootropolis? Who was your favourite character? Would you like a sequel? Should Flash get a spin off? We would love to hear from you here at Barking Mad About Films
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