BEST NEW FEATURE
Due to the delay of Pixar's The Good Dinosaur, the latest Walt Disney Animation Studios picture was delayed to 2016. Much like Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6, Zootopia set itself apart with a unique premise, and attracted much anticipation as all Disney animated films do. Thankfully, while it's arguably still not up to Pixar's impeccably high standard, Zootopia is quite possibly the best Walt Disney Animation Studios picture in recent memory.
Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a rabbit from small-town Bunnyburrow who, following her dreams, graduates at the top of her class at the police academy and becomes the first-ever rabbit cop in the big city of Zootopia, where she's heard that all sorts of animals live in harmony. However, when she arrives, she learns that the situation there is much more complicated than she thought, and it only grows more complicated the longer she stays.
Genre-wise, Zootopia is many things. It initially sets itself up as the tale of a small-town girl moving to the big city, but this is soon revealed to be little more than backstory which, while rushed through, the film admirably insists on showing rather than telling. Her first impressions of the big city provide for some intriguing characterization, but this soon gives way to a buddy cop film, complete with a twist-filled plot and a snarky, cynical partner in the form of the shady fox Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman. It's not long before elements of a social fable and even a political thriller appear, as well.
Hopps and Wilde's dynamic is consistently enjoyable, with their well-sketched and lovable personalities contrasting but also complementing each other in often funny ways. They are easily the two most developed characters in the film, and both go through solid, nuanced character arcs which complement the film's themes. Both of their situations and lives are contextualized by the city's society, which is a thoughtful and well-sketched portrait of a place which fails to live up to its egalitarian ideals. I'm sure that many viewers can relate to that, and consequentially these characters face challenges which many people, particularly living in urban environments, might be able to relate to in one way or another, and combined with very strong characterization and character development, this makes the lead characters very easy to be invested in.
While on the surface it might look like little more than a charming family film, Zootopia is actually a social fable for inequality in modern cities, and is very interested in delivering a message about acceptance. Zootopia is sold as a place of harmony among animals, but it's soon apparent that the city faces eerily familiar issues with bigotry and stereotypes. While some of the city's social divisions seem inevitable due to the differences between species, many people in this society clearly have long-held prejudices against other species which prevents members of certain species from having certain jobs. Certain aspects of the setting, particularly in regards to the historical rift between predators and prey, don't entirely work on an allegorical level, but the film's attempts at social commentary are consistently sharp, and the deeper aspects of this setting ground an already thoroughly entertaining film in something more significant.
Indeed, the film's strong message and allegorical aspects are indicative of how it generally refuses to patronize the children in the audience. For a family film, Zootopia is surprisingly edgy, not shying away from violence and containing several jokes aimed squarely at parents. Many times throughout the film, characters are shown with visible scars or wounds, almost to the extent that it's shocking that the film got away with a child-friendly rating. However, all of the film's darker and edgier elements are deeply admirable as a sign of a film refusing to shelter children, and I think that as well as the message makes this a great film to bring your kids to.
Where humour is concerned, Zootopia has significant appeal to viewers of all ages, with a witty script and often great comedic timing. Not every joke lands - some are too obvious, others are simply drawn out too long - but the vast majority of the film's humour is wildly successful, in part due to the brilliantly imagined setting and in part due to the lovable characters at the film's centre. There's plenty of frantic energy for the kids, and adults watching may get a bigger kick out of some of the references and even certain entire scenes which seem oriented towards older audiences. The film also boasts several action scenes, each of which is exciting and many of which are surprisingly tense. When combined with the already-present humour, this makes for some of the most purely entertaining scenes in the entire film.
The real treasure of Zootopia, however, is its ambitious worldbuilding. The aforementioned social order in the titular city is crafted smartly and inventively, and the way that the different species intertwine is fascinating even in the brief glimpses we're shown. Without such a well-conceived setting, so much of the film might have fallen flat, but this is a fascinating world which I would eagerly watch more of.
Although Zootopia doesn't have the visual splendour of Frozen, it makes up for this with creative designs, and while the film never calls attention to its own visuals, it's colourful, well-crafted, fluid and unique. There's a strong attention to detail in the models, and the world is brought to life by the virtual sets. Everything here is delightfully up to the Disney standard.
Zootopia is one of the best films Disney has released this decade, and even in its occasional slip-ups it's never less than delightful. Although ostensibly a family film, it never patronizes younger audience members, and even dares to be edgy and allegorical. Its strong metaphors for modern social issues bolster a message of acceptance which is important for kids to learn, and even if not every gag lands, the film is consistently enjoyable even as it delves into deeper subject matter. It's smart, it's funny, and it uses these qualities with something greater in mind, and as a consequence of all of this, Zootopia is as admirable as it is thoroughly entertaining.
84/100, or
8/10
Support me on Patreon!
No comments:
Post a Comment