So far, the best animated Disney film of this decade

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2017)

Zootopia (2016) is quite a surprise: a Disney movie which tackles modern social strife head on. Zootopia is about prejudice and bigotry, reflecting how people are othered by their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social background, etc. in the real world, even in a post-civil rights world. Both main characters suffer from prejudice in that they are victims and perpetrators. Nick Wilde is seen as a thug by nature due to his species, but he looks down on Judy for her size and her social background as a farmer from the country. Judy is seen as weak and foolish for those previously mentioned things; she claims to be "enlightened," but even she has to struggle with preconceived notions about "predators." Many times, movies about prejudice ignore how EVERYONE has stereotypical ideas about people, how bigotry can exist even in people who don't burn crosses or hold up nasty signs about who God allegedly hates on the side of the road. Most people have bigotry that is subtle and these can be easily manipulated by fear-mongers, which is what happens in this film. The movie asks us to look at ourselves and question our perceptions of those who are different from us.
Of course, Zootopia is also a fun film, an exciting mystery-comedy that is re-watchable indeed. The voice actors are excellent in their roles and the animation is top of the line, as is usual for most Disney projects. It is ultimately optimistic about the possibility of respect and understanding overcoming fear of the unknown and the other, and it calls us to do what we can to hold fast to these qualities in our own lives. And that is a fine achievement.