Last year’s Inside Out may have been the decade’s most brilliantly original animated feature, but Zootropolis is undoubtedly the most important. A wildly fun, uproarious and charming buddy cop adventure, it quickly reveals a sophisticated call for tolerance and diversity.
Set in a world where animals peacefully coexist, bunny Judy Hopp (a delightfully peppy Ginnifer Goodwin) still has to fight to gain respect as a cop – though her own prejudices emerge when she’s forced to team up with “sly fox” and hustler Nick (a perfectly dry Jason Bateman) to solve a career-defining mystery.
Zootropolis’ bustling metropolis is perfectly conceived, as each animal is given a personality and position perfectly suited to them. Hilarity unfolds thanks to these endlessly charismatic characters, as well as the inventive car chases, pop culture references and a healthy dose of slapstick.
But Zootropolis’ understanding of the rhetoric of racism and bigotry is gut-punchingly astute, and adults will flinch in recognition of the upbeat characters’ coded interactions. As foxes are condescendingly called “articulate”, as a sheep’s hair is touched without her permission, and Judy tries to explain to a larger, more powerful animal why only bunnies can call other bunnies “cute”, Zootropolis’ politics are explicit – and so goddamn necessary.
At a time when Donald Trump is a viable candidate for the US presidency and the validity of #BlackLivesMatter and #OscarsSoWhite is still inexplicably questioned, Zootropolis recognises that the cuddly comfort of traditional tolerance tales aren’t enough; that children need to be taught about the real power and danger of modern racism. But it also pushes against outrage culture, demonstrating through fun and adventure that calling people (or animals) into vital conversations creates allies more readily than calling people out.
Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush. Featuring the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, JK Simmons, Shakira, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate. Running time: 108 mins.
Zootropolis is in cinemas now.