Cinema Clips: Zootopia

Disney delivers another winner with Zootopia, a cute, uplifting story with a surprising dark side.

It’s the sort of movie that’ll have kids asking their parents a few questions about some tough topics, while also being a movie that should entertain just about anyone who sits their butt in a theater seat to watch it.

Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin entering the Voice Acting Hall of Fame) is a little bunny determined to be the first bunny cop on the force in Zootopia, a metropolis populated by animals. On the road to joining the force, she faces a lot of opposition for being both a bunny and a girl. Judy beats insurmountable odds, and winds up on the force, much to the chagrin Chief Bogo (Idris Elba). She soon finds herself on a missing mammals case and enlists the help of a sly fox (Jason Bateman) for investigative work.

The film is co-directed by three guys: Byron Howard (Tangled), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph) and Jared Bush (His feature debut!). Directing by committee certainly works in this case, as the film has a nice unified feel while sustaining a surprising depth for an animated movie. The animation is top notch and inventive, with cute little touches throughout.

Judy’s hometown is farmland distinguished by an Easter pastels palette. When a cop chase winds up in a rodent community, it becomes a funny Godzilla riff. There are little, witty touches throughout, and the movie is just another animation home run for the Disney catalogue.