Nine years is a long time for a fox and a bunny to wait, and it is an even longer time for fans of an animated film that reshaped what people thought a kids movie could be. Zootopia 2 finally arrives after almost a decade, and the good news is simple. This sequel is wonderful. Not only does it live up to the original, it feels more confident, funnier, busier, and more grounded. The best buddy cop movie in ages just happens to be animated and covered in fur.
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are officially partners at the ZPD, but their partnership is not exactly the picture of harmony. Judy cares too much. Nick pretends to care too little. Chief Bogo sees nothing but chaos and forces them into a therapy session led by a deeply patient Dr. Fuzzby. It is a terrific setup because the movie makes their partnership feel like a bickering married couple still learning how to share the same emotional space. They are a mess, which is exactly why they are fun to watch.
A smuggling case and a mysterious piece of snake skin lead Judy to believe that a reptile has slipped into Zootopia, a place historically closed off to cold-blooded creatures. This trail sends Judy and Nick to the Zootenial Gala, a lavish celebration hosted by the powerful Lynxley family, descendants of the supposed founder of the city. The gala sequence is one of the highlights of the film. The animation is gorgeous. The environment mixes frosty elegance with lively character comedy. Judy’s dress is hilariously impractical for tundra weather, something that kids in the audience immediately pick up on even if the adults are too busy admiring the lighting.
The film takes off with the arrival of Gary De’Snake, a soft-spoken pit viper voiced by Ke Huy Quan. He is not the villain the movie wants you to think he is. Instead, he becomes the plot anchor of the story, introducing themes of generational injustice, stolen credit, and the way a society can seemingly erase an entire group. His gentle personality creates a wonderful contrast to the panic he causes simply by being a reptile among mammals.
The plot becomes a full-blown chase as Judy and Nick are framed and forced to flee the law. They dive into the hidden corners of the city, including Marsh Market, a community where reptiles have been forced to live in secrecy. These sequences add world building that make Zootopia feel bigger than before. The reptile world is full of wonderful character touches, including a philosophical basilisk who explains how a buried history turned reptiles into outcasts.
Zootopia 2 is delightful, funny, fast, and full of heart. It expands the world without losing focus on what matters most. It lets kids laugh and adults think. It deepens the friendship at the core of the franchise while introducing memorable new characters. Most importantly, it reminds you that the best animated films are not just entertaining. They are meaningful. And this one is.
Screen Rated 