Movie Review- "Zootopia"

Hi readers,

Welcome to Zootopia, a futuristic city where mammals of varying species live harmoniously side by side. Or do they? The mystery of vanishing animals brings Officer Judy Hopps and her reluctant partner Nick to solve the case in only 48 hours or lose her dream job as the first rabbit police officer.

Wide eyed, bubbly and enthusiastic protagonist Judy (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) introduces the viewer to Zootopia through her own rose tinted glasses. Her train ride into the city from her town, delightfully named Bunnyburrow, is set against a backdrop of amazing mountains and valleys, waterfall and illuminating colours. After her encounter with Nick Wilde, a sly and cunning fox, she is made aware of her own naivety and the harsher side of life in a metropolis. Judy’s attempt at solving the case of a missing otter takes the viewer through the underbelly of the crime scene within Zootopia through to an encounter with a crime boss ironically named Mr. Big, nude animal resort and a motor registry department staffed entirely by sloths.

This writer’s favourite scene, without stealing the thunder of the mystery solved, was the reoccurring sass between Nick and Judy. It began after Judy had been tricked into paying for a popsicle for Nick and his supposed son, Finnick, Nick’s partner in deceit. Their running dialogue resulted in Nick delivering the memorable phrase: “it’s called a hustle, sweetie”. A phrase that would later be used by Judy to Nick and blackmail him into assisting her in solving the case of a missing mammal she had undertaken.

Stand out performance belongs to the sloths of the DMV (Dept of Mammal vehicles). Their satirical portrayal as painfully slow bureaucrats is guaranteed to elicit gags from those who have had the experience of dealing with long wait times in government departments.

From a kid’s point of view, this movie is colourful with a wide array of animals on display and is satisfying as it embeds the recognizable voice of Shakira in character as well as voicing a song that adds to the appeal of the film. Adults will find the humour surprisingly enjoyable, given it’s an animated movie.

Zootopia is a poignant narrative that excels in pointing out the divide and scaremongering antics of unsavoury characters in society. It is helped by the convincing and effective performances of its protagonists and a must watch for all lovers of good films.

(Source: Walt Disney Pictures)

(Contributed by Ola Akinya)