MOVIE REVIEW: “Zootopia” is voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time [TV series], Something Borrowed), Jason Bateman (The Gift [2015], Horrible Bosses), Idris Elba (Prometheus, Thor), Jenny Slate (Obvious Child, The Lorax [2012]), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash [2014], Spider-Man [2002]), Raymond S. Persi (Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph), Don Lake (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Best in Show), and Bonnie Hunt (Cars, Jerry Maguire). It is directed by Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph, The Simpsons [TV series]), and Jared Bush (Penn Zoo: Part Time Hero [TV series], Moana), who all also wrote the story with Jim Reardon (Wall-E, Wreck-It Ralph), Josie Trinidad, Phil Johnston (The Brothers Grimsby, Cedar Rapids), and Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph). A rookie bunny cop named Judy Hopps (Goodwin) gets her big break in the town of Zootopia when she is assigned a missing otter’s case. Although it may seem like a typical assignment, Judy’s exploration leads her to unravel a huge mystery behind Zootopia. It will take her and her newfound accomplice, Nick Wilde (Bateman), to crack the case.

“Zootopia,” the animated film that broke records and received critical acclaim. It’s not surprising, considering these artists’ other works; those being “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Frozen,” and “Big Hero 6.” No matter the praise, however, I had rather low expectations, considering how disappointed I was with these creators’ previous pieces, save for “Wreck-It Ralph.” No folks, I didn’t like “Frozen,” and “Big Hero 6” was just okay. I haven’t seen anything top their first feature film, and after seeing this, I still stand by that statement. “Zootopia” is a pretty good movie. It trumps both “Frozen” and “Big Hero 6” in that it works well for adults and kids alike, and it is just an all-around fun film. What makes it fall short of its acclaim, however, is its overarching theme. While critics and fans may find that the backbone of this release is what makes it more impactful, I found it to be crippling, seeing as how this conforms to the modern world’s political correctness that I so desperately despise. There, I said it: I can’t stand PC. I’m not one of those guys who tries so hard not to step on people’s toes or be vocal on how everyone can be anything in the world. Sorry guys, if you tell me you want to be a fish for an occupation, I’m not going to cheer you on (I’ll most likely give you a raised eyebrow). When looking at its core and my review for it so far, some may think that I am being too harsh towards this release right off the bat, especially when a film I love, “Wreck-It Ralph,” has some of the same principles, being that Ralph wanted to go against the flow and be a good guy for once. These two movies may seem similar in this fashion, but I never view “Wreck-It Ralph” as the type that pushes people to not be stereotypical or racist. It was focused on its character wanting to do something about his life that didn’t involve him losing. “Zootopia,” on the other hand, dealt more with its theme than its characters, preaching to me at times how we should embrace what everyone wants to do in their life, no matter how insane or outrageous. If it weren’t for the charm and grandiose of the atmosphere, I wouldn’t have given this film a good score. Thankfully, it didn’t try to give me a lesson on the aspects of racism throughout its entirety. This is essentially a crime movie, where we see two seemingly enemies pair up to stop a threat unknowing to the public. I laughed quite a bit throughout, as there were plenty of jokes to pick apart for both adults and children. It’s best when these animated features project towards a group other than just children, because the possibilities of making smart humor and enriching ideas are endless. I mean, just look at “Toy Story” or “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Moving on, the voice work in this was great, with everyone doing a respectable job. They all projected well and gave their characters life. Speaking of characters, all of them were interesting. That is because of the terrific animation, character models, and good dialogue. I loved watching this, not just because it looked amazing in its visuals, but also because of the scope of Zootopia itself. That world was thought up nicely, and even though I didn’t get to see it all, I was appreciative of what I was given. Aside from the whole theme this film tries to push, there isn’t much to gripe about, besides a few minor cons such as its predictability towards the end. This is a good movie. I just wish that it focused more on our characters and their mission instead of trying to shove political correctness down my throat every once in a while. FINAL SCORE: 85%= Juicy Popcorn

Here is the trailer: