The Brilliance of "Zootopia"
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| "Zootopia" (2016) |
Disney has always been the reigning champion of animated movies. Ever since the release of Snow White their films have captured the hearts and minds of children and adults alike. Recently, however, there had been a decline in the adoration toward their animated features; Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, Brave, and Inside Out have all been viewed as good releases without the sort of memorable adoration the likes of Toy Story and Finding Nemo achieved. Zootopia came along to change that, utilizing the brilliance of tracing back to the history of the same animation style as classic Disney releases The Fox and the Hound and Robin Hood rather than opting for realism or attempting to copy the cartoonish appearance of films such as Madagascar. The return to Disney's old visual style combined with the beauty of modern animation makes for an absolutely stunning visual feast, filled with bright colors, unique and endearing characters, and an astonishing attention to detail (particularly in the size differences between animals, a detail which has been pushed aside in most other films featuring anthropomorphic animals despite how striking it is in the actual animal kingdom and world around us).
Of course, the phenomenal visuals of the film is not the only reason why Zootopia is as fantastic as it is. Its humor shines as well, flickering brightly through family friendly jokes which carry well across all audiences regardless of age, while cautiously refraining from cringe-inducing modern pop references (well, save for a character voiced by Shakira who is mainly used as a vehicle to communicate Shakira's single for the movie) or the subtle adult humor and sexual innuendos popularized by the likes of the Shrek series.
Perhaps the most discussed reason behind Zootopia being such a fantastic family film is the fact that it opens up discussions of prejudice, an exceedingly sensitive topic which is becoming increasingly prominent in today's culture. Rather than being specific regarding which sort of prejudice is being addressed in the metaphor, Zootopia instead opts to address prejudice as a whole by displaying just how damaging it is both to the oppressed and to those around them who find themselves accepting stereotypes as the truth after years of hearing them time and time again. The depth of Zootopia is clever in the fact that it never once preaches at its audience either, its a sort of realization which can be ignored altogether by those who wish to view the film as nothing more than a cheery family film about adorable animals living in an enormous and wonderful city. People who wish to dive deeper into the film and its allegory for one group hating another over differences beyond their control are free to do so, but the film also will never preach at families and their children.
Admittedly, I've never been particularly fond of animated films, but I've always had a special place in my heart for Disney releases. After enduring many mediocre and decent releases from Pixar and Disney it was a breath of fresh air to see Zootopia, which is bright, colorful, and will bring you back to the days of old Disney films with its cute and endearing character designs and wonderful optimistic story. I cannot recommend this film enough, particularly for those of you who are looking for something good to watch with the younger people in your life which will be entertaining for the adults and kids alike.
Of course, the phenomenal visuals of the film is not the only reason why Zootopia is as fantastic as it is. Its humor shines as well, flickering brightly through family friendly jokes which carry well across all audiences regardless of age, while cautiously refraining from cringe-inducing modern pop references (well, save for a character voiced by Shakira who is mainly used as a vehicle to communicate Shakira's single for the movie) or the subtle adult humor and sexual innuendos popularized by the likes of the Shrek series.
Perhaps the most discussed reason behind Zootopia being such a fantastic family film is the fact that it opens up discussions of prejudice, an exceedingly sensitive topic which is becoming increasingly prominent in today's culture. Rather than being specific regarding which sort of prejudice is being addressed in the metaphor, Zootopia instead opts to address prejudice as a whole by displaying just how damaging it is both to the oppressed and to those around them who find themselves accepting stereotypes as the truth after years of hearing them time and time again. The depth of Zootopia is clever in the fact that it never once preaches at its audience either, its a sort of realization which can be ignored altogether by those who wish to view the film as nothing more than a cheery family film about adorable animals living in an enormous and wonderful city. People who wish to dive deeper into the film and its allegory for one group hating another over differences beyond their control are free to do so, but the film also will never preach at families and their children.
Admittedly, I've never been particularly fond of animated films, but I've always had a special place in my heart for Disney releases. After enduring many mediocre and decent releases from Pixar and Disney it was a breath of fresh air to see Zootopia, which is bright, colorful, and will bring you back to the days of old Disney films with its cute and endearing character designs and wonderful optimistic story. I cannot recommend this film enough, particularly for those of you who are looking for something good to watch with the younger people in your life which will be entertaining for the adults and kids alike.
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