Disney Made This?

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2016)

When I first saw trailers for Zootopia, I didn't think the movie would be super amazing. I thought it would at least be decent. Most of Disney's animal movies fall under being good, but nothing too substantial. However, after watching Zootopia, I was proved wrong. Very wrong. So wrong, in fact, that I didn't even feel like I was watching a Disney movie.
This is where the spoilers start to appear, so you've been warned.
Zootopia has a lot of.....adult themes. Nothing too inappropriate, like sex or murder, but there are a surprising amount of rather serious issues such as racism, bullying, a little bit of violence (I believe they show a bit of blood a couple times), very subtle drug trading references, and they say "Oh my God" instead of "Oh my gosh". These things are why I felt like I wasn't watching a Disney film. It was pretty ballsy of them to include such things into their story. But y'know what? It all works. Racism plays a huge part in this film. It not only affected Judy Hopps' dream of wanting to be a cop, but Nick Wilde as well. His back story was rather tragic, and I actually was on the verge of crying when watching. I won't give away what happens to him in his past, but it's pretty dark, and pretty upsetting. I think it's up there with Bambi's mom getting shot.
These themes, while smartly written, I think confused the younger audience. I heard one little boy complain about not wanting to watch the movie anymore, and that he wanted to go home. The other kids, though, asked occasional questions, and laughed when they were supposed to. So, I don't think your kids will be terribly confused, but many of the references they bring up, and some scenes of the movie may confuse them a bit. I would like to say that they won't be bored, but they may end up being bored with a few scenes mainly because they won't understand. Oh, and there are a few jump scares. They should be prepared for those as well.
The characters are really fun to watch. I don't think I disliked anyone. Judy Hopps is a wonderful female protagonist who, while she is small, has a large heart. She's a dreamer who will go the distance to get what she wants. She's truly a likable character, and I love her. She's also the most adorable rabbit ever. Nick Wilde is a sly, cunning fox. He may start off as sarcastic and a bit rude, but trust me when I say that you'll grow to like him, especially because of his back story. There's more to him than you think. The side characters each have their charm, like Clawhauser, who's an adorable geek with a huge crush on a singer. Flash's name is very deceiving, since he is not fast at all. He's hilarious to watch, though. Bogo appears to be a tough, unsympathetic jerk in the beginning, but toward the end, we see him slowly change into a more likable character. The list goes on.
I definitely would not say this is just a kids' film. I'm not even sure if young kids can appreciate it. I definitely would recommend this to maybe preteens and older. Adults will certainly get a kick out of most of the jokes, and appreciate the story more. Younger kids may appreciate the cute animals and few funny scenes, but the story may leave them puzzled or bore them. If you have young kids, and want to take them to see Zootopia, go ahead. It's a great family film, but just keep in mind that your kids may end up being a bit confused. As for adults, I definitely recommend it for any who are Disney/animation fans, or who like crime solving films. I promise you it won't disappoint. :)