Zoomania

A staple of children's movies is to give animals human characteristics, whether it is our feathered friends in the "Rio" series or our furry friends in the "Alvin And The Chipmunks" franchise. What is different about "Zootropolis" - called "Zootopia" in the USA - is that this is not one breed of talking animals existing in a human world, but every breed of animal inhabiting a world in which there are no humans. The colourful representation of this world, the engaging variety of characters, and the clever script with a message of tolerance and inclusion make for a wonderful movie from Walt Disney Productions.

The basic story is a kind of "Lethal Weapon" pairing of two unlikely partners in crime- fighting: a female rabbit called Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and a shady fox called Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). In pursuit of a missing person (sorry, animal), they encounter all sorts of adventures and a cast of characters ranging from sloths who will not be hurried to a Mr Big who turns out to be a tiny version of "The Godfather" concluding with a singing gazelle (Shakira). I took my five year old granddaughter to see the movie and she loved it, finishing up dancing in the aisles.

From the studio that brought you Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen & Big Hero 6, Zootopia surfaces as a highly original, incredibly refreshing, thoroughly engaging, surprisingly timely & delightfully subversive beast fable about prejudice & stereotype that not only marks a new creative high for Disney but is arguably the finest film that this legendary animation studio has come up with in their Revival Era, so far.

Set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, the story of Zootopia takes place in the titular metropolis and follows a bunny cop named Judy Hopps who, despite her par excellent performance in the class, is assigned parking duty by her superior. But when she volunteers to undertake a missing-predator case, she is given 48 hours to solve the mystery or resign, following which she blackmails a sly fox into helping her, and uncovers a sinister conspiracy.

Co-directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore, the duo put up an intriguing world on the screen that does have a fresh quality but there is still a deep sense of familiarity to it. However, where the two leave a lasting impression is in finding that perfect balance between its consistently gripping storyline & moments of pure hilarity. The writing staff also deserves a mention, for their screenplay brims with numerous pop culture references, parodies many renowned classics & handles its topical themes with care.

The 3D animation is absolutely top-notch, for the images retain its crispness, clarity & vibrancy from beginning to end. The animators put up a vast number of characters on the screen, ranging from the largest elephant to the smallest shrew, yet they are all given a well-defined arc. Cinematography further enhances the overall look n feel of the story with its fluid camera-work, splendid use of colour palette & spot-on lighting. Editing provides just enough screen time to all the relevant characters while moving the plot forward at a blistering pace.

The cast is wisely chosen, and all the actors do a competent job in lending their voice & soul to the mammals they play. Ginnifer Goodwin brings a bubbly side to the new cop in town and confidently plays her role. Jason Bateman plays his part with finesse plus his voice really fits his cynical con artist character. Also, the chemistry between the two is a highlight in itself. Michael Giacchino's ebullient score seamlessly blends in & compliments the narrative while Shakira beautifully wraps everything up with a catchy, uplifting & wonderful song that smartly summarises its themes & message.

On an overall scale, Zootopia finds Disney stepping out of its comfort zone to tackle a bold, ambitious & risky project, and it is one gamble that pays off tremendously well in the studio's favour. Also, its arrival couldn't have been better, considering how its elements of prejudice & stereotypes mirror the racial hostilities present in our very own current social environment. An ingenious blend of sophisticated storytelling, jubilant humour & thought-provoking themes that amazes, entertains & enlightens without ever compromising with the fun factor, Zootopia is a definite delight for viewers of all ages, and is undoubtedly the best film of the year, so far. Strongly recommended.

"A little bit of kindness goes a long way" would be a perfect quote for this film.

When Judy Hopps, a country rabbit, shoots for her dreams as a part of the police force in Zootopia(Zootropolis), things weren't what she expected it to be. She was forced to face reality for what it truly was. Sound familiar?

It may have delivered a couple of messages that people have already heard dozens of times, but that doesn't take away the strength it gives to those who believe that what matters the most is trying to do things right in their lives and in society. I wasn't expecting to find this to be a source of encouragement and inspiration, but that's what it delivered. The "true" conflict presented was also as relevant as it was when this film was released. A divide that caused unrest among the ones that should be working towards improving society.

One small crutch from the plot was its use of circumstance to move the story along. But overall, this can be overlooked since after all, it isn't only with wits or pure strength alone that would allow a person to find solutions to the problems that they face in their lives.

Using cartoons as a medium to convey the kind of messages it did was also a brilliant move on the part of the producer and creators of this film. It would be a good and effective learning material for parents or older people to use to teach young people as a way to prepare and make them understand how the world works.

Brilliant movie.

Zootopia leaves all other Disney 3D animations in the dust. The plot, characters, styling, quality of animation and script are so spot on. I could watch this film a thousand times and not grow bored. If you haven't seen it, stop what you are doing and watch it.

As much as I liked movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo, it made me curious about other CGI animated movies. I didn't actually see this movie in theaters, but I did rent it and was pleasantly surprised. Not everything is in black and white in this movie, and various stereotypes are broken. And things are not always what they seem. I loved the main characters and they all get my standing ovation. This, along with Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6 are my favorites of the non-Pixar Disney CGI films. If you like anthro animals and want to see them in a somewhat modern setting with no humans, look no further!