4 Things Parents Should Know about ‘Zootopia 2’

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It’s the Sequel to a Blockbuster

The first Zootopia finished as the seventh-highest grossing movie of 2016 ($341 million) and won an Oscar for Best Animated Film, following the story of Judy Hopps, a small-town bunny who grows up dreaming of becoming the city’s first rabbit police officer. When she finally earns her badge, she teams up with a sly fox – Nick Wilde – to uncover a conspiracy threatening Zootopia.

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return in Zootopia 2 as the voices of Judy and Nick, with Idris Elba reprising his role as Chief Bogo. Meanwhile, Andy Samberg and David Strathairn bring new voices to the movie as Pawbert Lynxley and Milton Lynxley, respectively.

It’s Zootopia Meets Mission Impossible

This Zootopia isn’t the simple tale of the first film, even though both movies – admittedly – spotlight conspiracies that aren’t always easy for children to follow. No doubt, moviegoers who are side-eying their smartphones may find themselves lost in the plot. It has elements of a multi-layered Mission Impossible film.

In Zootopia 2, Judy and Nick go undercover at the city-wide gala and are proven right when – indeed – a snake crashes the event and tries to steal the journal. But the plot thickens when this intruder, named Gary De’Snake, claims the Lynxley Journal reveals the opposite of what city officials have always said.

“We aren't the bad guys,” Gary says. “They are.”

But before Judy and Nick can investigate Gary’s claims, they are kidnapped by the mafia – a group of mice with old grudges and long memories – and sent on a dangerous detour. Law enforcement believes Judy and Nick are the prime suspects in the theft of the journal, but the duo soon discovers that the conspiracy surrounding it goes far deeper than they ever imagined.

Photo Credit: ©Disney

It’s a Story about Friendships and Sacrifice

The entire Zootopia franchise is a parable about friendship, kindness, and coexisting in our modern world. In many ways, it echoes the very things Scripture calls us to pursue.

A bunny and a fox who are not only opposites socially (she’s high-strung, he’s laid-back) but also in the animal kingdom (foxes eat rabbits, after all) become friends, unlikely partners, and eventually learn to thrive together. In other words, they have little in common on the surface, but they learn to focus on their similarities instead. Meanwhile, Zootopia’s predator-and-prey animals coexist and even thrive – bears alongside sheep, for example – offering a powerful picture of living in harmony despite differences.

That theme continues in Zootopia 2, although it’s put to the test.

In this newest film, the bonds between Judy and Nick are strained when their lives are on the line – and the laid-back Nick reveals he’s unwilling to risk everything if it means losing his own life.

Judy quickly retorts: “The world will never be a better place if no one is brave enough to do the right thing.”

Nick isn’t convinced.

“Sometimes being a hero … doesn't make a difference.”

Fortunately, Nick does come around, but not before the stakes rise even higher than they expected.

Photo Credit: ©Disney

It’s Still Family-Friendly

Zootopia 2 is largely free of coarse language (minus one or two OMGs) and is void of unbiblical agendas, too. We do see Gazelle (voiced by Shakira) dance a bit provocatively again, but it feels toned down somewhat because she is, after all, an animated animal. We also see scantily dressed animals at a “Burning Mammal” festival.

Zootopia 2 is a film with plenty of humor, a healthy dose of action, and a message that our argue-first, divide-often society needs to hear.

“There's a lot of different animals out there, and sometimes we start to look at all the little reasons that we're not the same – and it makes us worry,” Nick says at the end. “But maybe if we just talk to each other, or just try to understand one another, we would see that our differences don't really make any difference at all.

“Maybe we would even see that what makes me, me, and you, you – can make us even stronger.”

Rated PG for action/violence and rude humor.

Entertainment rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Photo Credit: ©Disney