A Promotional Still From Zootopia 2 ©Disney

An animated movie called Zootopia 2 (titled Zootropolis 2 in the UK and some European markets) by Disney achieved the all-time box office record in the Hollywood animation industry. What makes people love this movie? Zootopia is a movie about a society called Zootopia, which is made up of animals instead of humans. One of the reasons people are so enthusiastic about this movie is that it offers a fascinating story in which small animals, from tiny mice to large ones such as buffaloes and lions, live together. The movie reflects real life in various ways. Several aspects of life are depicted, such as everyday personal obstacles, social problems such as pervasive prejudice, and political issues such as corruption driven by greed.

Overcoming Obstacles of Prejudice

Judy Hopps, the main character of Zootopia, is a rabbit, an animal that is very small compared to others. Judy is a cadet at a police academy, where she has difficulty adjusting because of her size. However, she finds a way to overcome every challenge she faces at the school. She finally becomes a police officer achieving the top score at the academy. However, her adversity is just beginning. After becoming a police officer, Judy has to face prejudice because she is a rabbit and is believed to be unable to perform as well as other officers. Throughout the movie, we see Judy always finding a way through it.

Destructive Decisions Derived by Greed

In both Zootopia 2 and its predecessor Zootopia, the events in the movies are not so far from our real lives. Innocent people are sometimes misunderstood or blamed for problems, while those responsible for making despicable decisions gain power. In the first movie, the mastermind of a plot that caused carnivores to suddenly go savage was the sheep, Dawn Bellwether, the vice mayor of Zootopia. Her goal was to gain more power by exploiting the majority’s fear of carnivores.

In the second movie, a snake named Agnes represents the victim, while a family of the lynxes portrays the villains. A patent proving that Agnes invented the climate barrier for Zootopia is stolen by the Lynxley family. Later, Agnes receives a false murder charge, which leads the rest of the animals to believe all reptiles are dangerous; as a result, all the reptiles are banished from Zootopia.

Doubts, Scars, Differences, and Understanding

There is also the character of Nick Wilde, a fox who used to be an ice cream seller and later becomes Judy’s partner officer. In the first movie, Judy and Nick meet and become partners. They solve cases together, but there is also a barrier between them. When Judy makes a speech about the dangers of carnivores, it hurts Nick and reminds him of his childhood trauma of being ostracized by herbivores simply because he is a fox. Judy realizes that her prejudice has hurt Nick, and she sincerely apologizes to him.

While the barrier between Judy and Nick in the first movie was caused by prejudice, the conflict in Zootopia 2 is about differences in values. When faced with the dark truth of the Lynxley family’s plot, Judy and Nick work together to uncover it. However, when they need to risk their lives, their ideas diverge. Judy insists on pursuing justice while Nick hesitates out of fear of losing her, saying that some things should be left alone. After reuniting and saving each other, they open their hearts, confess what they really think, and come to understand each other.

The movie shows that despite our differences, we share many things in common. Even though we think differently, we can understand each other and build better relationships and a better society.

Conclusion

From personal growth and relationships to social issues, this movie portrays events that also occur in the real world in a warm and enjoyable way. In addition to the themes discussed in this article, the movie contains many fun and meaningful details. That is why people cannot help but love this movie.

Reporter

Seongbeom Hong

hongsb@seoultech.ac.kr

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