Fur, enjoyable, and sufficient purr-sonality to maintain you watching

The world of “Zootopia” stays inherently fascinating, a reminder of when Disney was keen to push creatively as a substitute of leaning on countless sequels and squeezing dry no matter IP was inside attain. The first movie baked sharp metaphors about reasonably priced housing, poverty, and capitalism into the cuddly chaos of anthropomorphized animals dwelling in a metropolis supposedly constructed for everybody. It wasn’t excellent, nevertheless it was recent, engaged with its concepts, and gave us an odd-couple duo in Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde that really felt value rooting for.

“Zootopia 2” continues that identification, however with noticeably much less spark. Instead of evolving the dynamic or increasing the world in significant methods, the sequel largely recycles the components. The animal puns are plentiful (a gymnasium known as Trunks solely for elephants is admittedly an awesome bit, and perhaps a motive Zootopia ought to be cancelled), there’s one more case for Judy and Nick to resolve, and there’s one more third-act twist that the adults within the room will spot lengthy earlier than it occurs. The little woman subsequent to me, nonetheless, completely misplaced her thoughts, so credit score the place it’s due.

The movie is undeniably attractive to take a look at and the voice forged is stacked, together with David Strathairn chewing into the villain function with relish. The film definitely retains itself busy, and youthful audiences can be greater than entertained. Still, it’s clear administrators Jared Bush and Byron Howard are reaching for deeper themes. Acceptance, belonging, and the concept actual progress requires acknowledging our variations all float via the narrative. It is admirable, and the dad jokes hit as a rule, however the movie by no means digs deep sufficient to really feel substantial. It is nice, but in addition surprisingly disposable.

Despite the nine-year hole between movies, the sequel picks up only a week after Nick and Judy stopped the villainous mayor (Jenny Slate) and have become instantaneous celebrities as the town’s first bunny-fox partnership. Unsurprisingly, the highlight is short-lived. They have to show they’re greater than a novelty act, which pushes them right into a conspiracy involving a snake marginalized by Zootopia’s social hierarchy. Reptiles are relegated to Marsh Market, the town’s makeshift ghetto, and the script needs you to really feel the load of that prejudice, even when the movie itself isn’t absolutely dedicated to inspecting it.

That snake, voiced with heat by Ke Huy Quan, derails a glamorous gala to reveal the town’s sanitized historical past and the hypocrisy of these in energy. Judy and Nick are quickly fugitives in a plot that raises the stakes on paper, but nonetheless feels surprisingly stagnant and overly acquainted.

The emotional beats, together with the themes I already talked about, stay surface-level. Gary da’Snake (sure, that’s his precise title) needs to reunite along with his household and be handled like a citizen as a substitute of a risk. The sentiment works, and in at the moment’s political local weather, the metaphors land tougher than the filmmakers in all probability meant, however Disney isn’t going to take its commentary far sufficient to danger making anybody uncomfortable.

Nobody is admittedly anticipating “Zootopia 2” to be deeply political, however the film clearly is aware of the territory it’s hovering over. There are even jokes about utilizing humor as a coping mechanism for childhood trauma and the way foxes will do completely something besides go to remedy. These moments trace at one thing sharper, however the movie pulls again each time it will get near saying one thing significant.

At least it has extra goal than “Moana 2,” which felt engineered completely in a boardroom to promote toys. Gary is a worthwhile addition, colorfully animated and charming sufficient to provide the movie some emotional anchor.

And let’s be sincere, this is not going to be the final time we wander via Zootopia. The world is sufficiently big to justify extra tales, not like, say, “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which appears like a franchise enlargement nobody requested for. If future sequels maintain the jokes intelligent and the world visually wealthy, audiences will nonetheless present up and chuckle on the animal puns. I in all probability will too, even when the magic is beginning to put on skinny. 

“Zootopia 2” proves the franchise nonetheless has life in it, even when this chapter feels extra like a reminder of what Disney can do quite than a breakthrough of what it ought to.

ZOOTOPIA 2 is now enjoying in theaters.