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Somewhere squeezed into the 2010s Disney canon, between the snow queens, princesses, and video game baddies, there is “Zootopia,” an original film that surprised the world with its quality, prodding social commentary, and rocket ship-esque box office receipts. What started as Disney’s springtime offering for 2016, a film that would certainly play second-fiddle to its Thanksgiving 2016 release (a little ocean themed princess adventure called “Moana”), became an Academy Award winner and grossing over a billion dollars worldwide. Now, almost a decade later, Disney has finally brought a second adventure for the animal city’s resident bunny and fox duo to the big screen.
“Zootopia 2” picks up shortly after the events of the first film and finds police officer Judy Hopps, played by Ginnifer Goodwin (“Big Love,” “Once Upon a Time”), and conman-turned-rookie-cop Nick Wilde, played by Jason Bateman (“Horrible Bosses,” “Arrested Development”), attempting to prove that their previous success was more than a one-time occurrence. They get that chance when, on the eve of the city’s Zoocential hundred-year celebration, Gary De’Snake, played by Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Loki”), finds his way into the city, the first snake to do so since reptiles were exiled a hundred years prior. Now Judy and Nick are attempting to solve the mystery of Gary’s appearance, how it might involve the Lynxley family led by patriarch Milton Lynxley, played by David Strathairn (“Good Night and Good Luck,” “Lincoln”), and the true history of Zootopia’s very creation.
Returning co-director Byron Howard (“Encanto,” “Tangled”) and writer/returning co-director Jared Bush (“Encanto,” “Moana”) are clearly right at home returning to their animalistic city and characters for this second tale. With an increase in animal-based puns, Judy and Nick’s second adventure is off at a quicker pace than before. Gone is the more deliberate mystery and first act, instead we hit the ground running and hardly let up. It’s a film that manages to pack far more into its plot than its 108-minute runtime might suggest, but that fast pace never drags. A few more moments of calm would’ve been nice, and the film isn’t without them, but it's a very confident film within that. It never feels as though the pacing is a victim of needing to keep the seven-year-old’s attention.
That central mystery is one that only the best kinds of sequels can offer. Not only does it further expand the ideas of social commentary using the animal world that the first film managed to (messily) deliver, but it expands the lore and world-building of the titular city itself. Bush’s script, like the best family films, doesn’t talk down to the audience about its themes or events. It understands the levels that the kids watching can work at and helps to bring them up. Sure, there are plenty of pop-culture references sprinkled throughout as well, but it's clear that the emotional journey of Nick, Judy, and Gary is the main focus.
Goodwin and Bateman’s chemistry is still here in spades, and the pair are simply a delight. This second adventure deepens their relationship even further and allows them to explore their friendship in ways the first simply couldn’t. Quan’s performance is also fantastic, with his trademark enthusiastic delivery bringing Gary to life in exceptionally fun ways. The extensive supporting cast, prominently featuring Andy Samburg (“Hot Rod,” “Hotel Transylvania”) as Pawbert Lynxley, Fortune Feimster (“The Mindy Project,” “The L Word: Generation Q”) as Nibbles Maplestick, and Patrick Warburton (“The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Seinfeld”) as Zootopia’s new mayor Brian Winddancer, all feel right at home in this world. Samburg and Feimster are particular highlights, with the latter avoiding a potential easy annoyance with pure charms.
The gorgeous animation further fleshes out the world that came before by expanding things beyond the four major districts of the city into more hidden, background areas. The new Marsh Market is a highlight, emphasizing more aquatic elements and characters than before. There’s also a focus on more industrial, metallic areas, separating things further from the first film. Michael Giacchino’s (“The Batman,” “Up (2009)”) score keeps things flowing, clearly curbing from other films this series owe tribute to, and it, along with the expansions of the world, allows things to truly feel like a buddy cop film, especially a buddy cop sequel, in all the best ways.
After a few rocky years for Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Zootopia 2” has managed to rocket the studio back to their former heights. A sequel that expands the world, characters, mythology, and narratives rather than retreading what came before, it's the best example of a follow-up film. Still packed to the brim with excellent vocal performances, gorgeous animation, and a fantastic sense of fun and mystery, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a delightful bit of furry family entertainment over the holidays. 4.5/5
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