Zootopia

Director: Byron Howard
Writers: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush and more
Stars: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
Runtime: 108 minutes    
Strength: Superb storyline
Weakness: Slow starting
Rating: 4/5    

Plot: In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.

Review: Zootopia sets itself apart by attacking prejudice head-on. Rather than preaching or putting on kid gloves, Zootopia attempts to examine the "why" of prejudice rather than the surface elements. Through its clever, endearing characters, hilarious jokes, and honest sentiment, Zootopia comes away as a film that's not only a joy to watch, but also one with a relevant message.

Set in a world where predators and prey have evolved to coexist peacefully, the story follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bunny from a small town who's determined to be the first member of her species to be a police officer. Through her unrelenting drive and determination, she graduates from the academy with flying colors and is assigned to the thriving metropolis of Zootopia. While she's stuck handing out parking citations, she crosses paths with the wily fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), and eventually the two are forced to work together to solve the case of a missing otter. 

However, the supporting characters do leave a little something to be desired. As most of the film is focused on Hopps and Wilde, we see little development in supporting characters like Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) of the ZPD or even Mayor Lionheart (J.K. Simmons), and most are there only to add a few lines of comic relief. 

Zootopia is a wonderful example of how Disney, at its best, can mix its past and present together in a rather compelling way. It's one of those movies that is truly able to entertain audiences of all ages, in different ways. Undoubtedly, this is an accomplishment in the list of the top rated Disney oeuvre.

Reviewed by Minam Haque