While I was doing my annual Thanksgiving break Disney+ binging, one of the many advertisements that continuously flooded my feed was for the new “Zootopia 2” movie, which came out on Nov. 26. I internally groaned as the ad said the movie was “just as good as the original.”
Sequels are always on a slippery slope between a creative continuation of a story and a poorly executed money grab, so I decided to see if “Zootopia 2” was worth all the praise or if it’d be another classic letdown.
Instead of showcasing Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde excelling as police officers as I expected, the movie follows the duo as they struggle to become cohesive partners. In fact, the two are actually on the run from law enforcement themselves after being framed.
Surprisingly, “Zootopia 2” narrowly outshines the original with more relatable humor, character growth and an action-filled plot — with a plot twist, of course.
The original set a high bar in terms of humor, but “Zootopia 2” exceeds it with Wilde’s classic one-liners, Hopps’ little quips and, of course, the sarcastic jokes of side characters such as Chief Bogo.
The humor in the sequel appeals to both kids and adults. Looking across the movie theater, I saw children giggling at silly interactions and their parents holding in laughs for the more layered jokes.
The character growth of Hopps and Wilde in “Zootopia 2” is also one of the best parts of the movie. The original already had a lot of character growth from Hopps and Wild, with them evolving from “enemies” to partners and friends, but the sequel doesn’t keep them static. Instead, it shows the unique angle of the duo struggling to maintain their friendship despite their significant differences.
Hopps is overbearing and very optimistic but takes dangerous risks trying to prove herself, while Wilde seems uninterested in taking his job as a cop seriously and is just fine skating by. Their different attitudes clash in ways that go beyond the simple bunny vs fox relationship in the original movie.
While Hopps and Wilde were certainly front and center, the new characters, such as Nibbles Maystick and Gary De’Snake, definitely stole the spotlight at times. Maystick brings a rugged yet goofy element to the movie and has the most hilarious interactions with Wilde. De’Snake, on the other hand, is a mystery for most of the movie, but towards the end, it's hard not to love his goofy personality.
However, none of the new characters really measure up to the original side characters like Dash Slothmore, Mr. Big and Gazelle. Although these side characters weren’t featured as strongly in the sequel, I was glad to see that all of them had their little cameos throughout the movie.
With new characters comes different settings like the outskirts of Zootopia, the Zahara Square and the Marsh Market, all of which were stunning and critical to the sequel’s plot. While “Zootopia” had a very mysterious plot based on secretive detective work, the sequel is full of high-stakes scenes packed with action and coupled with a heartwarming message.
It’s certainly difficult to live up to the masterful plot twist the original movie had, but “Zootopia 2” has its own betrayals and mysteries that I never saw coming either. However, while the original movie’s plot twist was shocking, the sequel’s twist had more impact because not only was it surprising, but also much more heartbreaking since the character was becoming one of my favorites.
The creators of “Zootopia 2” have done something rare and close to impossible in Hollywood these days — making a sequel better than the original. The film’s combination of creative humor, lovable characters and a high-stakes plot will make it impossible to leave the theatre without a smile on your face — no matter what age you are.
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