CAMMIE BAGLEY
Athens/Living Editor
After years of producing movies that people of all ages have fallen in love with, it would seem as though Disney would have run out of ideas of new stories to tell. But, never underestimate the magic of Disney because they have created yet another wonderful movie in “Zootopia.”
Audiences are first introduced to Judy Hopps, the main character of the film, as a child. She is a small bunny from a town called Bunnyburrow in a world where animals live as humans would. In the film, animals have evolved past predator and prey and can live together peacefully. Hopps dreams of being the first bunny cop in the big city of Zootopia, which is made up of many different districts including Little Rodentia, Sahara Square and Tundratown.
The movie then jumps 15 years later as Judy attends the Zootopia Police Academy and moves to the city to begin her career in law enforcement. As she begins her new life, she encounters many obstacles, all stemming from the fact that everyone underestimates her because she is a bunny. Eventually, she befriends an unlikely partner who is a sly fox named Nick Wilde. She convinces him to help her solve the case of a missing otter in order to keep her job.
As the film proceeds, there is some exciting action mixed with humor. Disney did a great job of making the film enjoyable for not only children but also older demographics. In fact, the film references the show “Breaking Bad” in one scene as well as the film “The Godfather” in another.
Looking past all of the traditional elements of a children’s movie, the underlying theme to “Zootopia” is racism. In the film, some predators begin attacking their prey again after years of peace. Because of this, the animals that are considered prey begin profiling all of the predators and choosing to lock them up and separate them, even those that are innocent. This lesson is one that’s important for children to hear due to the many racial issues that have arisen over the last few years, and Disney addresses this problem in a tasteful and appropriate way.
Despite “Zootopia” being a cartoon and, technically, considered a children’s movie, it’s entertaining for all demographics. It includes cute animals, an inspiring main character and, most importantly, teaches a lesson that everyone in our society could benefit from. There is also a bit of a twist at the end, which puts viewers at the edge of their seats, waiting for the mystery to unfold.
The movie ends with Judy giving a speech as she is welcoming new recruits to the Zootopia Police Department. In her speech, she addresses the fact that in order to make this world a better place, we must all be willing to work together and get along.
In the words of Judy Hopps, “So, no matter what kind of person you are, from the biggest elephant to our first fox, I implore you: Try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us.”
