The sequel may lack the original’s spark, but Judy and Nick still make a paw-some team
By Bob Tremblay/Boston Movie News
Most sequels display the artistic merit of mud pies. Carbon copies of the originals, they’re shameless cash jobs. Fortunately, “Zootopia 2” rises above this muck. We’ll ignore the TV spinoff.
When we last saw our mismatched heroes, plucky bunny Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and con artist fox Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) had set aside their natural animosity to solve a case of missing predators. The anthropomorphic duo were rewarded for their actions. The 2016 all-mammal film was also rewarded with an Oscar for best animated feature. But wait, there’s more. The movie grossed over $1 billion, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2016. A sequel was a virtual lock. One wonders why it took so long.
In “Zootopia 2,” Judy and Nick are now police partners, but they still aren’t getting much respect from the much larger animals in the department, including Bogo, the Cape buffalo chief of police (voice of Idris Elba). Judy and Nick eventually find themselves on a make-or-break-up assignment where a conspiracy brews involving a pit viper, Gary D’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan), and lynxes. The duo receives assistance from a conspiracy-theorist beaver, Nibbles Maplestick (voice of Fortune Feimster). The film should receive an award for inventing wacky character names.
Many of the cast and crew return from the first film. Byron Howard is back as co-director, this time working with Jared Bush rather than Rich Moore. Bush also gets a solo writing credit here. Shakira reprises her role as the Thomson’s gazelle pop music star and gets to sing “Zoo.” The song is not as memorable as “Try Everything” from the first film, but it’s still catchy. Shakira wrote it with Ed Sheeran and Blake Slatkin.
Other newcomers include father-and-son lynxes, Milton (voice of David Strathairn) and Pawbert (voice of Andy Samberg) Lynxley.
As in the first film, not everything is as it seems, with surprises and betrayals part of the package. Traditional notions of good and evil also get altered. Sorry, no spoilers. The adults should enjoy the movie references, including “The Shining” (don’t worry, no blood pours from an elevator) and “Babe.” The children, meanwhile, should enjoy the fast-paced action as they watch the animals behave like humans.
Unfortunately, “Zootopia” follows the pattern of the first film too closely. What gave the original movie its comic energy was watching Judy defy the odds to join the force while dealing with Nick’s cons. Their antagonism turning to friendship had that heartwarming thing going for it. The sloth scene in the registry of motor vehicles was worth the price of admission alone. A sloth returns here in a funny bit, but much of the humor in the sequel comes from slapstick and sight gags. “The Godfather” routine with a shrew (voice of Maurice LaMarche) who speaks like Marlon Brando feels forced. Buddy cop comedies are nothing new. In this one, the buddies just happen to have fur.
There’s also the typical apparent defeat common to many movies, where characters overcome their differences and the odds at the last moment to emerge victorious. Seriously, did you think the good guys were going to lose in a children’s film from the Disney Studios?
Still, there’s much to enjoy in “Zootopia 2.” Goodwin and Bateman again play off each other perfectly. They now argue like an interspecies couple. The supporting cast is also strong, with stallion Mayor Winddancer (voice of Patrick Warbuton) stealing every scene he’s in with maximum pomposity.
While “Zootopia 2” lacks the originality of the first film, it offers plenty of good old-fashioned entertainment. Yes, it’s fun for the whole family, except maybe angst-ridden teens who would have preferred watching Nick use Judy as the main ingredient for a rabbit stew. Bugs Bunny would not be pleased.
Bob Tremblay is the former film critic for The MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Massachusetts.
‘Zootopia 2’
Cast: Voices of Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman
Director: Byron Howard and Jared Bush
Writer: Jared Bush
Rating: PG for action/violence and rude humor
Running time: 108 minutes
Where to watch: Opens in theaters Nov. 26
Grade: B+
Boston Movie News 