Zootopia 2

It’s a delicate matter to create an animated movie, with a message that will reach but not offend the majority of an already worried parental audience about how their children will get along in a world that turns all sorts of people into ‘its’ or ‘the other’ or even worse ‘the enemy’.   This is the second movie produced by the Illumination gang of this sort, and I would say it’s better than the first one, which was very enjoyable and entertaining in its own right.  In this film it turns out that snakes are the ones suffering from being ostracized, ‘othered’, and lied about, and the bad guys trying to take over Zootopia are lynxes (not missing lynxes mind you).    The two central characters in the film. Judy Hopps and Mr. Wilde (i.e.a fox) are police partners, but also are, or are becoming partners in life, that haven’t yet admitted they love each other.  The not so subliminal message is that love can transcend and transform differences, without eliminating them. And this is a message worth pondering, and even living into.  The movie has a good story line, interesting characters, humorous scenes, but I could have used more of the real laugh riot of the first movie– Flash…. the ultra slow sloth, who used to work at the DMV, now driving a hot car.  The movie knows how to get to the point, and knows how to use humor as well, and knows when to quit—- the movie can hold the attention of even younger children at an hour and 45 minutes in length.    And I am happy to say this is a good film for the whole family to enjoy, and maybe even have a conversation about ‘how we can all do a better job of getting along with those unlike ourselves.’.