I’m late with this one and I kind of avoided watching it. The same thing happened with Frozen when it came out. When a film is hyped too much it puts me off because I see it everywhere. It’s like when a song is so popular it’s constantly played on the radio and no matter how good it is after the thousandth time I start to resent it.

However I got sucked into SuperCarlinBrothers videos and they did a video on Zootopia and racism. J covered many points and honestly he made me want to watch the movie. He didn’t just talk about the issues but the characters too and that got me interested. Also another video they did was amusing and I thought, “I must watch this film immediately!” So I did.

Plot

SPOILER WARNING

It’s got a sound plot. What can I say, I liked it. I was able to relate to Judy, Nick and the villain.

I really felt for Judy but I feel her hardships in Zootopia were what she needed to grow as a person. She saw the world of Zootopia as a place of endless opportunity but she didn’t realise the disadvantages certain people face in society. I could relate to her journey as when I transitioned from university to the working world I learnt some hard truths as well. It was eye opening and sad at the same time.

I liked that they didn’t leave her in despair but they brought her back and she found a way to make dreams come true despite being a bunny cop in a large mammal precinct. She also repaired her relationship with Nick and helped him to believe in the world he lived in and that people can get second chances.

As for Nick’s story line, I also related to his. It was so sad watching him be bullied. As someone who has been bullied that was a hard scene to watch. On another note though where were the counsellors? The adults? I mean I’m part of a group like Scouts and children don’t join like that.

I liked how they flipped the script with Nick and showed how the ‘good’ guys can be bad.

It has been said about the film that it tackles race issues and stereotypes. I saw that with Nick. A friend of mine told me how a teacher would tell him he’d amount to nothing, my friend is Black African, and it just made me mad. My cousin also told me something similar and how it motivated her to prove that teacher wrong by doing exactly what she’d said she couldn’t. But not everyone reacts that way though. Those words can crush a person and if the world only sees you one way then there are people of colour who ask, “Well then why should I bother trying if they’re going to see me that way no matter what?” Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I hate that. Why crush someone’s dream, someone’s spirit when you can lift them up? In fact when someone tries to crush your spirit that shows that you have something special otherwise why would they care?

Anyway back to Nick. I got him. I also liked how he had permits for everything and the only thing she could get him on was taxes… I wonder how that was sorted out as he becomes a cop in the end.

The villain of the movie, Bellwether, was a surprise but also not. I mean Lionheart treated her badly, could you blame her for wanting revenge? I always say revenge is not the answer but even watching the movie I was frustrated for her. How come they have small doors for the really tiny mammals but no small doors for the rabbits and sheep? Why didn’t they have small toilets?

It’s hard to be taken seriously as a small female in the workplace and Judy and Bellwether really highlighted that. However then she went after all predators and I thought that was wrong as they had done nothing, like Mr Otterton and Mr Manchas.

Another issue the film highlighted was that of politics. Politians use scare tactics all the time. They pit two groups of people against each other and that’s how they win the election. I’ve seen it many times in history and even in today’s politics. It doesn’t always work but most of the time it does.

There were other things I liked about the story that has nothing to do with politics but more to do with just the way the characters were written and the jokes said and the way they exceeded expectations.

I loved the little details, I loved each eco system, and I would love to spend more time in them if there’s a next movie. I loved the subtle jokes characters would make, like Judy’s joke about rabbits multiplying and how Nick couldn’t stand the wolves. I liked the tiny town, Little Rodentia! It was so cute! Who polices that town? Honestly they definitely should have more small mammal cops because the rhinos and other cops that they currently have would crush that town just walking in it. I loved Mr Big and his family and the twist they did there and how Judy is the godmother to Fru Fru’s baby. There are so many great moments! I also like how they redeemed Gideon Grey from Judy’s past.

Oh about that, Judy’s prejudice. I’m glad they addressed it because she recovered so quickly after Grey clawed her that I was a little confused. But then when she took the fox spray I realised, ah it still haunts her a little. Nick really challenged her preconceived notions, ones she didn’t know she had. I’m glad she realised that she had them and then challenged them and endeavoured to grow as a person.

Moving on to Relationships:

Mostly just Nick and Judy’s relationship. Their friendship was strange, a fox and a rabbit, it shouldn’t have worked but it did. They challenged each other and helped each other to grow and to overcome their childhood traumas. Judy showed Nick that there were good people around who believed in him and cared for him. Nick showed Judy that being a predator does not mean you are inherently bad or will go savage.

I also kind of shipped them. I know, I’m one of them but they were cute and I liked it. I don’t know if it’d actually happen however as breeds don’t seem to mix in their universe. They could be the first.

I find it funny there are people who are so against it because he’s a fox and she’s a rabbit. I hope those people are also against Donkey and Dragon from Shrek because to this day I don’t understand it! How did they have kids? How!?

So those are my thoughts. I’m sorry if they don’t make sense.

I give this movie a five out of five, I loved it!

 

Ps: Chief Bogo really got on my nerves in the beginning; I’m glad he also came around but wow… it was touch and go there for the two of us.