‘Zootopia’ Review: thought provoking, entertaining romp from Disney

Disney’s latest animated feature, Zootopia, carries a ton more weight than advertised. With animals and straightforward gags in the trailer, the true depth of the film and poignant questions were never revealed.

Zootopia centers on Ginnifer Goodwin’s Judy Hopps, a scrappy rabbit with big ambitions, as she heads off to the metropolis full of a humanized menagerie of wildlife. Hopps joins the police force as the city has begun a new mammal-inclusion initiative, but Judy is dismissed to meter maid.

The action picks up quickly after Judy meets Nick Wilde, a witty con-man fox and pair take up a missing persons case.

Directors Byron Howard (Tangled) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), along with co-director Jared Bush, who shares screenplay credit with Phil Johnston, know how to keep things light before shifting the serious theme.

“I came here to make the world a better place,” Judy laments after her good intentions backfire and the chaos ensues, “but I think I broke it.”

The ugly side of culture and society quick hush the audience before the story queue’s you that things will get messy and that’s ok. Stereotypes and metaphors did deep with laughs and nods as political correctness.

Zootopia never gets carried away with an overreaching message or some judgment of society, but asks everyone to try harder and play nice.

The sloths at the DMV is hysterical, despite being spoiled in the trailers, but there’s plenty of humor for the kids and adults. Nods as Disney’s other films and a singing Gazelle, voiced by Shakira, round out a great cast.

Homages to The Godfather, Chinatown and L.A. Confidential work perfectly as you will likely notice details on subsequent viewings.

Zootopia receives 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars