I know, this review’s pretty late, but I didn’t get the chance to see Zootopia until it had been out for a few weeks already, and then these last two slots had already been claimed for Daredevil and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. So, I beg your pardon for the delay. 😉

I went to see Zootopia with a half-accurate idea of what I was in for. By that I mean, I could tell it was about a cop needing to solve a case with the help of a hustler, and of course they were all animals that walked upright and spoke. What I did not expect was such a keen commentary on our society, and with such wonderful, well-rounded characters to boot.

I think that was the idea, really, in the marketing. Disney did not tell us that much about the movie outside, “These are animals who are like people.” They were tight-lipped and saved the meat of the movie for the actual movie instead of the trailers. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone into a movie knowing exactly what it was beforehand, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s still great to be properly surprised every once in awhile, ya know?

As such, I have been wrestling with myself a little, on how deep to get into spoilers here. On the one hand, it’s been out for several weeks, so I doubt very many people who have been considering seeing the movie haven’t just gone and seen it yet. On the other, Disney clearly went to great lengths to make this a surprise, so I don’t want to spoil that.

So, skating around the most major spoilers of how the movie goes about this, I shall simply say Zootopia shows us something that needs to be discussed. Amidst the hilarity and gripping personal drama, there is a strong theme of coexistence, what it is and what it truly means. It’s about equality and overcoming our prejudices, which we often have, even if we are generally good, virtuous people. It’s about realizing and acknowledging our own wrongs, large and small, forgiving ourselves and each other. It’s about all of these.

All of that, and still, it’s packaged in such a way as to be perfectly kid-friendly. Maybe, just maybe, some kids will watch this and learn about being better people.

Needless to say, I appreciate this movie. I also enjoy it, which is not quite the same thing as “appreciate.” 😉

Here’s where I can get into some less-spoilery specifics! 🙂

I love the characters! Judy Hopps is so perky and determined, and sincere. Nick Wilde is smooth, clever, and more upstanding than he appears to be at first, including how he’s loyal to a fault. Police Chief Bogo, firm and demanding, but with unimpeachable integrity. The tiny mouse mafia and their huuuge polar bear bodyguards! As well as so many others, not least of which, the DMV sloths! I don’t think anyone’s forgetting that scene any time soon! 😀

Speaking of, I’ve heard some people say the DMV scene is the best in the whole movie. Meaning no disrespect, while it’s certainly among the funniest, I wouldn’t really say it’s the best. There were so many great scenes, ranging from the comedic to the dramatic to the poignant to the wondrous, and I loved every minute! 🙂

…which, really, is the sum total of everything else I could say. I love this movie, and I recommend it everyone of all ages.

Not to say it’s quite perfect, of course, but those imperfections seem fairly small to me. I figured out who the villain was the moment the audience met them, and it’s not like the characters weren’t occasionally stupid, but in a believable, human way, rather than a random “just because” sort of way.

So, this is easily one of the shortest reviews I will ever do! 🙂

Rating: 10 out of 10.

Grade: a solid A!