I believe that Zootopia is the best Disney movie of all time.
Its punny humor, complex world-building, and adorable creatures captivated my eight-year-old self. Now, as an adult, it’s still at the top of my “favorite movies” list—this is coming from someone who doesn’t particularly love animals.
Zootopia 2, the much-anticipated sequel for both me and general society, was released Nov. 26.
Despite the decade between the two movies, the storyline picks up a mere few weeks after the original. It follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) as they embark upon another wild adventure, attempting to prove their legitimacy as police partners.
I expected Zootopia 2 to be similar to Moana 2 or Freakier Friday. The studio’s recent sequels have essentially been recreations of the original movies, only with somewhat different plots. Zootopia 2 wasn’t an exception to this pattern. The plot was similar to the first film—the unexpected duo of fox and rabbit take on a new case, with Judy fearlessly leading the mission, determined to correct the injustices of Zootopia. The plot contained surprises, but for older audiences, it was relatively easy to guess which animal was the true villain.
However, to its credit, Zootopia 2 continued the beloved story in a more successful fashion than most sequels. The movie made me laugh, and I was frankly more immersed in the story than I’ve been with any other recent movie.
Like the first movie, Zootopia 2 contained an impressive allegory. The plot centered around Judy’s mission to help marginalized reptiles—animals who had been forced out of Zootopia after helping to create it. This reminded me of our country’s history of exploiting the people who helped build it—and then erasing their stories and forgetting that, without them, we wouldn’t have the United States as we know it. I thought of the Chinese immigrants who built much of the transcontinental railroad, only to be later discriminated against and prevented from entering the country. A similar comparison could be made with the enslaved people who built much of the nation’s original infrastructure.
For both children and adults, Zootopia 2 contains a more impactful, socially relevant message than many of today’s movies. Especially when compared with ridiculous messes like A Minecraft Movie, Disney’s attention to theme stands out.
In addition to parts of its message, the movie contains hidden easter eggs geared toward adults. The first movie’s many sly allusions were one of its best elements, and Zootopia 2 included just as many, if not more. Disney included a fair share of references to their own copyrighted material: a nod to the frying-pan scene from Tangled, a subtle recreation of a romantic scene from Lady and the Tramp, and a certain reappearing weasel who sells Disney DVDs on the street, to name a few moments.
The movie also included multiple non-Disney, non-child-friendly allusions. As soon as I saw the film’s climax, which partially occurred in a snowy hedge maze, I knew that Disney could only be referencing Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece, The Shining. Similarly, I learned post-watch that the returning Bellwether (Jenny Slate) eerily resembled Hannibal Lecter from the cult classic The Silence of the Lambs. (This is especially funny because Bellwether is a sheep.) For an adult film nerd, Zootopia 2 has a landmine of allusions.
Seeing these jests to cultural content helps to make Zootopia 2 the fun watching experience that it is. It also shows, in my opinion, capitalism at its finest. Not necessarily in the movie references themselves—but in the brand references. Nick is seen browsing Disney+, a “Wolfswagen” car shows up, and the bags designed by Fru Fru (Leah Latham) look conspicuously similar to Gucci purses. I’m as guilty as the next person of enjoying spotting these brand placements, but I find it interesting how much our entertainment, even in kids’ media, blends with advertising.
Despite minor shortfalls, Zootopia 2 is one of Disney’s strongest movies of the 2020s. In the future, I hope that the studio makes an effort to craft more thought-out projects like this, stories that provide both education and excitement.
