Chance's Corner: Zootopia Review

The days of the Golden Age of Disney animation have long since been over, and the effects of the Disney Renaissance are still deeply felt by those around from 1989-1999. It may be the end of an era (or two), but lately Walt Disney Animation Studios has been firing on all cylinders with hits such as Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, Frozen, and their biggest hit to date (that doesn't involve an incredibly annoying song) Zootopia.

Zootopia is a thriving city full of all sorts of animals - big and small, exotic and farm, predator and prey - all living together in certain sections that accommodate the climates in which they would live in the wild. Our heroine is Judy Hopps, the first rabbit to join the police force in Zootopia. She's spunky, full of energy, and ready to take on the world, even if the world isn't ready for it. Unfortunately, she'll have to take it through issuing parking citation fines, seeing as that she's only a meter maid. That is until she senses that treachery is afoot!

Emmitt Otterton has gone missing in Zootopia, and Judy Hopps is on the case! She tracks down the last "man" to see Emmitt alive, a sly fox named Nick Wilde. Against her better judgement, and against Nick's wishes, they set off together to uncover a growing conspiracy that could unravel the very fabric in which Zootopia was built.

The world of Zootopia is gorgeous to look at, and it's fascinating to see how other animals coexist with one another. The story is well-written. It's very funny and cute, a children's buddy cop movie, but there's a much deeper message lingering in Zootopia - a message on the ugliness of discrimination based on race, sex, etc. Sadly that's still a message we all need to learn!

Zootopia is now available at the Franklin County Library.