ZOOTROPOLIS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Zootropolis was the first animated feature film to be released by Disney in early 2016. Because it was set in a anthropomorphic universe, I didn't think it would be any good and would only entertain younger children. I've seen many animated films where animals are the main characters and they weren't that great. Fortunately, Zootropolis exceeded my expectations. It's one of those rare animated features that is suitable for the whole family.

The modern mammal metropolis of Zootropolis is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it's a melting pot where animals from every environment live together - a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn't so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery. 

The two main characters are Hopps and Wilde and they soon form an unlikely friendship. Hopps is admirable because, when she is assigned to meter maid duty on her first day at the police force, she makes the most of it and writes out more than the required 100 parking tickets. She has an optimistic outlook on life and is a protagonist all viewers can easily like. Wilde is a con-artist and brings most of the humour. Despite his attempts to outwit Hopps, she proves to be smarter than him and he has no choice but to help her in a mystery regarding the disappearance of an otter. The two bring out the best in each other and is an unlikely friendship that works. 

Apart from Goodwin and Bateman, who both do solid voice-work, another notable name includes Idris Elba who voices tough African buffalo, Chief Bogo, and, arguably, has one of the best lines in the film ("Life isn't some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true so let it go"). Elba's deep voice is perfect for this role. This was the first of three other Disney films he featured in, the others being The Jungle Book where he voiced the evil tiger, Shere Khan, and Finding Dory where his voice made an appearance as a sea-lion. Jenny Slate voices Dawn Bellwether, a diminutive sheep who is the assistant mayor of Zootropolis. Like Elba, Slate has made other appearances in other animated films including The Secret Life Of Pets as a white Pomeranian and, most recently, as Harley Quinn in The Lego Batman Movie. Overall, the voice performances in Zootropolis are strong. Colombian singer Shakira makes an appearance as Gazelle who is a famous pop singer and, throughout the film, her song, 'Try Everything' is heard. It's a catchy tune with an optimistic message about not giving up.

Many animated films have a predictable plot but Zootropolis has enough twists and turns to make its story original. At the center of the narrative is a mystery, however, this story wasn't created with crime/detective fans in mind. It's more of a mismatched buddy film with both Hopps and Wilde learning about each other's stengths and weaknesses over the course of the film. This leads to the two of them making an ubreakable friendship. This is proven in the film's climax where we discover who really is behind the disappearance of the otter. It's a twist I honestly didn't see coming and it's what I loved most about this film's story. 

Zootropolis succeeds in sending out a message about diversity and how important it is not to judge others. This is carefully camouflaged by showing various animals of different species getting along. This film couldn't come at a more better time. Unfortunately, racism is still a major issue in today's society with many people still making negative comments towards others because of their background. Zootropolis shows us how important it is for us to end the discrimination and judgement towards others and this is why it's a film that everyone should watch.

What I also loved about Zootropolis is that it's modern enough so it's suitable for the younger generation to enjoy. Phones are used and there's even a running gag that includes a Gazelle app where characters can appear in her music video. 

Of course, with almost every Disney animated feature, the comedy is what makes it highly entertaining. The humour mainly comes from Wilde and his many one liners but one of the funniest scenes occurs at the DMV which is run by sloths who are incredibly slow, much to Hopps' dismay.  There's even a hilarious spoof of the classic film, The Godfather, where we meet a mobster known as Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche). 

The animation is of high quality. The titled city itself is visually stunning and it's very impressive. It's no surprise that, at the time of writing this, it's been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards. Because of the message it sends out, the highly-entertaining comedy and the solid voice work, I wouldn't be surprise to see it win. 

8/10