REVIEW:
Zootopia 2 managed to do something extremely rare. It’s a sequel that managed to be just about as good as the original movie. And it did so without really veering off the path and formula of the original film. Throughout history, the rare sequels that have been better or equal to the first movie, (Aliens, Terminator 2, The Godfather Part 2,) have done so by going in a very different direction than the first movie. Up until now, that seemed like the only way. Zootopia 2 shows us a movie can keep to the formula and still be great.
It’s weird to even be mentioning this movie in the same conversation as those others, because they are literally the best sequels of all time, and this movie is good, but not great. Still Zootopia 2 does break the mold and debunk the trend, and that’s gotta count for something. What works about this movie is exactly what worked for the first one… the casting and characters.
Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin are just perfect in these roles. Goodwin, in particular, hadn’t done much in recent years, but here, she is just right for the role of the goodie two shoes, innocent, by-the-book rabbit. Bateman, with his sny, snarky, seen it all attitude is all right on the money as the Fox. A former con-artist who is now working as a cop, he’s basically Eddie Murphy from 48 Hours. And the way these two contrast each other, and seemingly did like or get frustrated by each other is also pretty great.
The movie brings a third character into their operation…. A snake played by Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once.) He’s also a somewhat unpredictable choice, but fits this role nicely as a timid sweet heart. In fact, the story is about his “race” or species, the snakes, and how they have been persecuted by others. Yes, there’s a good amount of racial commentary here, about oppression and different classes, and it all works.
So does the mystery. Like the first film, it’s a guessing game until the end, regarding one of the main villains. And it’s also about clearing the name of the wrongfully accused. The story is good, the characters are enjoyable, and the humor is generally pretty solid. There’s even some fun chases and action scenes. What’s not to like?