Disney Has its Paw on Society's Pulse
Disney's Zootopia is like a Pixar film; it's savvy, funny, beautifully animated and handles adult themes with the lightest of touches. Directors Rich Moore and Byron Howard's movie imagines a world where animals evolved to the point of walking upright, speaking, and wearing clothes. There's no mention of humans, but no need, the animals are the people here, and in playing that role they carry every strength and foible we posses. Zootopia deftly tackles issues of racial and gender discrimination in the guise of a family-friendly, buddy cop-esque mystery, making for a timely and timeless addition to the Disney canon.
Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bunny, is the newest recruit to the Zootopia Police Department, and though she's excited to make the world a better place, her stern cape buffalo chief (Idris Elba) assigns her meter maid duty. Judy's larger, more imposing fellow officers make no effort to treat her professionally, seeing her simply as the new "token bunny." Nevertheless, she picks up the trail of a missing animal case, and enlists the help of conman fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). The lessons of the film are embodied in these two, as they learn to trust one another despite their inherent genetic differences—Nick is a predator, Judy is a prey—and move beyond the stereotypes that seem to define them.
Moore and Howard and screenwriters Jared Bush and Phil Johnston have taken a potentially grim, or at least hard-boiled, world and made it a delight to visit. From the outset, it's clear the animals of Zootopia are supposed to be evolved to such a point they ignore their primal instincts to hunt one another from the top of the food chain on down, essentially believing they live in a post-racial society. But that wide-eyed view of the world is given a dose of reality very quickly as the predators still look down their noses at the prey in a way that often stands in for gender discrimination (particularly with Judy working in a male, predator-dominated profession), and the prey are still somewhat untrustworthy of the predators in a clear parallel to racial discrimination. It's even taken a nuanced step further as foxes—though clearly proclaimed predators—are seen as shifty by those who are bigger than them, and dangerous by those who are smaller. The greatest feat is that the film expands on these roles without losing sight of its characters and story, giving the whole production a strong and smart thematic through-line that keeps viewers emotionally and intellectually engaged.
Even if Zootopia's ideas and characters had been rote, its design would still manage to enchant. The characters themselves don't really differ visually from the foxes, rabbits, and lions and tigers and bears you've seen in past Disney animated films, but the city of Zootopia is a marvel. Brought to life with the same imaginative touch given to Disney theme parks (and I mean that without an ounce of corporate-fueled cynicism), the massive city is separated into districts with climates and environments tailored to the species that inhabit them. You'll find polar bears in a refrigerated section of the city where it always snows, camels in a heated desert with rolling dunes, and large cats in an overgrown jungle filled with treehouses and rickety suspension walkways. It's a world that begs to be explored.
No singing is required for this Disney romp, but the voice cast is nonetheless a joy to listen to as they inhabit their characters. Goodwin is wide-eyed and tenacious with conviction, while Bateman brings his trademark ability to be smarmy and sincere to a role that fits him like a glove. J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate and others fill out their various supporting roles well, with Idris Elba a particular delight as Chief Bogo.
Zootopia's stacked cast and rich design match its smart script to make the film the complete package. As national and global views on tolerance and understanding continue to make headlines—be they negative or positive, from demagogues or regular citizens—Zootopia is a film that earns its right to exist and be seen more than most, and for family-friendly fare, that's a rarity. Zootopia may not enlighten those who need it most today, but hopefully it can be a popular parable for generations to come.