Move Review: Zootopia (English)

Zootopia

Zootopia, the latest anthropomorphic animated adventure from Disney Studios to hit theatres worldwide, is an utopia. A futuristic New York City overrun by animals where "anyone can be anything." An ideal world where herbivores and carnivores coexist in peace and harmony, renouncing the traits that made them what they are in order to lead a civilised lifestyle. But in a sudden turn of events, when a dozen predator "civilians" mysteriously disappear, newly appointed rabbit officer Judy Hopps is reluctantly assigned the case, her condescending superior giving her just about 48 hours to crack it open.

Animals have long been mouthpieces of allegories and pearls of wisdom. Think Aesop. Zootopia is thus no different. Despite its elements of fun, which are admittedly far and few, the most hilarious being the laugh-out-loud scene with the sloths at DMV, it's also subversive and thought-provoking, putting out a timely message about marginalisation of minorities, racial discrimination, stereotyping and xenophobia. But it's also disappointing that the film reinforces the very stereotypes it tries to negate (sloths are slothful, rabbits are good at multiplying, foxes are cunning and sly, and well... you get the idea) in order to put its points across, however self-deprecating they may be. Zootopia at times plays it too clever with its subtexts for an animated film, ending up with a bizarre non-sequitur that makes no sense the more you think about it. Perhaps it could have been a little dumber?