OWN Zootopia, an enchanting city where all species live in harmony, the mayor is a horse with a fluffy mane, it is not uncommon to find a slacker behind the wheel of a racing car and the police have a cute tandem, such as that formed by the seductive fox Nick Wilde (Alexis Victor for French voice) and the brave rabbit Judy Hopps (Marie-Eugénie Maréchal).
In nine years – the time between launches Zootopia 2 (in theaters Wednesday, November 26) since the first episode -, the city imagined by Disney directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard has not changed much: it has maintained its distinct ecosystems separated by climate barriers, its diverse population, and the basic principle that is a message to all viewers: far from being divided, differences can make us stronger.
A beautiful spirit of tolerance that collides with the sad reality: in Zootopia, everyone is welcome except reptiles, prohibited from staying since the dark murder case that occurred at the time of the city’s founding, one hundred years ago. Some scales left behind in a shipment arriving illegally at the port lead Judy – always looking for a case to solve – on the trail of one of these cold-blooded animals…
Nick would rather let the affair go, but he can’t deny anything to Judy, who is soon detected by a psychologist assigned by the police to help them communicate better in a hilarious scene, undoubtedly the best in the film, which without malice pokes fun at the concept of “comfort animals” intended for emotionally fragile people.
So the action-packed investigation gets off to a great start that takes Judy and Nick on the winding trail of new character, snake Gary De Snake (voice of Baptiste Lecalain in French), from a gala evening in the middle of the snowy tundra to a swamp teeming with life where various reptiles live.
In a delicious scene, one of them is a basilisk lizard wearing a sombrero and saying Jesus’ first name, shifting the mood towards west side spaghetti. A little gift for English speakers: dubbed (in the original) by the legendary Danny Trejo.
Pop references and uplifting messages
This isn’t the only nod directed at adults Zootopia 2. Tours in the mountains allow you to see Alpine buildings that look like a Grand Budapest Hotel, tribute to Wes Anderson. A visit to the prison – where Nick pays a brief visit – lets us meet a snow-white sheep gathering fleece and looking at visitors with a sadistic gaze in a clever reference to Hannibal Lecter’s The silence of the lambs.
And the ending set in a snowy maze directly quotes (including music) from Shine by Stanley Kubrick. Apart from cinema, the film also attracted media attention with the character Nibbles Maplestick, a female otter who hosts a successful conspiracy podcast.
There are lots of entertaining moments for adults who especially come to accompany the film’s target audience, namely ages 7 to 12 years. This is the limit of the fun this new Disney has: instead of devising a universal narrative that can be read in several ways depending on your age, the filmmakers prefer to weave two parallel storylines, one consisting of jokes intended for adults, the other full of gags and adventures for the youngest – not so young, as the complexity of the investigation and some unsettling moments immediately exclude those aged six and under. Everything moves quickly until the final dance sequence where we encounter one of the first stars ZootopiaGazelle, a graceful four-legged animal to which singer Shakira lends her voice and rhythm.
To find
Kangaroo today
Answer
Ultimately, the constructive message that films from big-eared companies often convey – and which was already at the heart of the first films Zootopia – repeatedly criticized: Judy and Nick learn to work together better despite their opposing characters, and the citizens of Zootopia are open to differences. When does number 3 come?
“Zootopia 2”animated film by Jared Bush and Byron Howard (United States, 2025), 1 hour 48 minutes, with French voices Marie-Eugénie Maréchal, Alexis Victor, Baptiste Lecalain, Pascal Elbé, Jean Reno… In cinemas Wednesday November 26.
