Review

By Eduardo Stambury

 

 

         The first thing I should highlight about this movie is the phrase "Anyone can be anything". This is the phrase in which this Disney animated film mainly bases its content.

I chose Disney because it has already accustomed us to appreciate its interesting content that not only amuses children as its main audience but also feeds its secondary audience, parents, siblings or older friends. Children never go alone to the movies. They are always accompanied by someone older and for them, there is always a special message. “This film, action-packed and filled with enough savvy jokes that adults should consider slipping into the theater even if they don’t have an accompanying child, is set in a world where animals have transcended the carnivore-and-prey dichotomy and now live together more or less harmoniously” (Genzlinger, para. 2, 2016).

 

         The film, directed by Byron Howard, Jarred Bush, and Rich Moore, is a comedy-adventure of Walt Disney Animation Studios, which takes place in a city inhabited by a society of civilized and versatile animals, Zootopia. With rules and customs similar to those of humans, but obviously with inhabitants of much more diversity of races. From the largest elephant to the smallest insect. Judy Hopps is a rabbit that since childhood has the dream of being a policeman and is preparing for it until they achieve it. However, she has to face a reality. Rabbits cannot be cops. This type of work is intended for other types of animals stronger and harder. Despite this disadvantage, she is determined to prove herself and accepts a complicated case, which she must resolve within 48 hours, even if that means associating with the fox-con man Nick Wilde to solve the mystery (movies.disney.com, 2018).

 

         Within the positive elements of this film, you can see the immense love that parents feel for her, as well as respect and pride for her decision to be a policeman despite the social inconveniences that this would represent. Judy is presented as a kind person of good principles. She is a worker and does not give up. When she realizes that she has treated her partner badly, he apologizes for his actions. In her testimonials, Judy encourages her listeners to make the world a better place. She makes it clear that intimidating or prejudging others because they are different from you is a wrong choice. She invites others to a positive change that expresses saying "Change begins with you, begins with me, begins with all of us". She shows us that when we face a job that we do not like, we must do it better than anyone else. Judy teaches us to do the best effort, even when you feel low (Hoose, 2016).

 

         It is my opinion that the character of Judy represents the correct behavior of a human being in the full extent of the sentence. The examples that Judy gives in the content of the film are exemplary. This is what we all want to live in society; Honesty, commitment, dedication to work, respect for the human being and achievement of objectives.

 

         From a broader point of view, you rarely hear in a children's animated film a message as complete as getting exactly what you expected, is not the end of the road but the beginning of hard work to become the best and most open human being that you can be (Chaney, 2016). Fantasy films aimed at children usually do not contain political messages, but if they do, they should be handled so that children can apply them to real life. "Zootopia" contains elements of discrimination that are socially incorrect, and it is not easy for members of a despised class to overcome the reasons why most despise them. However, during the film, this barrier is overcome by the characters (Seitz, 2016). Animals have always been used to coach young people on how they should behave, and Zootopia busily tells the kids not to stereotype different groups and to love everybody, it creates a city in which some creatures fear that others are inherently savage (globeandmail.com, 2016).

 

         Animated films that speak to everyone are having greater success. This is the case of "Zootopia", which is more complex than we used to see when we were small. Children's films now have a deeper social aspect that children are able to perceive, and this opens up interesting conversations with parents (USA). Today, 2016).

 

         If we make an analysis of possible negative aspects of the content of the film, we can find some sexual content when Judy and Nick go to a place called Mystic Spring Oasis, where none of the animals wear clothes. The animals do not show sexual characteristics, of course, but the clear implication is that they are reflecting a human nudist colony. In that scene, certain parts of their bodies draw attention when they bend and flex obtusely. Part of the plot of the movie is based on that the animals are drugged and return to their wilder predatory natures and rage and tear the environments that surround them. Also, we see a small beast passing its claws across the forehead and the eye of another animal (Hoose, 2016).

 

         Several technical aspects stand out positively in this film. The representation of the eclectic cast of animals, which includes mice, giraffes, jaguars, and a pop star named Gazelle is extremely vivid. The art used to create the different environments of the city of Zootopia is impressive. The design is spectacular, and each habitat is accommodated to house the different inhabitants respecting their gender, their customs, and size (Goldstein, 2016).

 

         With respect to the music of the film, I can say that Michael Giacchino, walks through various genres, from orchestral music, comedy music, Latin rhythms and some fusions that fit perfectly with the different moments of the plot. One can feel the fusion of styles and cultures in the music of Giacchino. The mixing and mastering are of the highest quality. The Foley and the effects are handled in appropriate planes that never interfere with the development of the dialogue.

         “With so many melodies and styles, the only thing that the Zootopia score is missing is a takeaway melody that will instantly bring you back to the story. There is a somber tune that is possibly the most reoccurring theme in the score, played during both Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde’s sadder moments in the film” (Reif, para. 5, 2016). This makes Shakira’s pop song as the track that you will associate most with the film over any score elements.

 

         "Zootopia" is rated PG, and is considered within the genres, Kids, Animation, Comedy,

Action / Adventure, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, and Mystery / Suspense. It is distributed by Walt Disney. It was published in Theaters on March 4, 2016, and in Video on June 7, 2016 (Hoose, 2016).

 

         I think this is a movie that leaves a great message to the public. It is aimed at the wider public, from children to adults. It's creative, funny, sometimes dark, entertaining, moving, terrifying and even surprising at times. The plot was very well constructed and really leaves a great message to everyone.

 

         It seems like a delicious comedy about a cute bunny who does not give up. But this story of good versus bad set in a world of anthropomorphized animals is deeper than that. For adults, it presents a surprisingly difficult history of dark film detectives, featuring a policeman and his confidential informant who hold each other and wade through the underworld crowded with shrews, polar bears, and wolves. They face all this in the hope of saving the city from a horrible and despicable threat (Hoose, 2016).

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                         References

 

 

Chaney, J. (2016, March 3). ‘Zootopia’: A delightful menagerie, with a worthwhile message. In The Washington Post. Retrieved July 21, 2018, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/zootopia-a-delightful-menagerie-with-a-worthwhile-message/2016/03/03/8bed4ac8-defd-11e5-8d98-4b3d9215ade1_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.48cb53c

 

Disney (2018). In Zootopia. Retrieved from https://movies.disney.com/Zootopia

 

Genzlinger, N. (2016, March 3). Review: In ‘Zootopia,’ an Intrepid Bunny Chases Her Dreams. In Movies, The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/04/movies/zootopia-review.html?referrer=google_kp

 

Goldstein, G. (2016, March 3). 'Zootopia' is quite simply a beastly good time at the movies. In the Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2018, from http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-zootopia-review-20160304-story.html#

 

Hoose, B. (2016). In Pluggedin, Focus on the family. Retrieved July 21, 2018, from https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/zootopia/

 

Reif, A. (2016, March 11). Soundtrack Review – Zootopia. In Laughing Place. Retrieved July 22, 2018, from https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/03/11/soundtrack-review-zootopia/

 

Seitz, M. Z. (2016, March 4). Reviews. In Rogerebert.com. Retrieved July 21, 2018, from

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/zootopia-2016

 

Smart family fare rules (2016, July 12). In USA Today. Retrieved July 22, 2018, from

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=733f8163-0827-46a5-9497-bd1475c79aeb%40pdc-v-         sessmgr01&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=J0E268548859216&db=a9h

 

Zootopia: Fun for kids, but adults may think twice about movie s message; Its the social

anxieties behind Zootopia s message of animal harmony that are problematic (2016,   March 4). In Nexis Uni. Retrieved July 22, 2018, from https://advance-lexis- com.oclc.fullsail.edu/document/?pdmfid=1516831&crid=aa599845-19ef-485c-9806-  b7b9e649d106&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fnews%2Furn%3AcontentIt     em%3A5J74-T1P1-F072-J3BY-00000