Zootopia 2 movie review: A tail of twists, turns and terrific tunes drive this buddy cop comedy

There were many laugh-out-loud moments in Zootopia 2, proving patience is most definitely is a virtue, as we had to wait for seven years for the follow-up to the 2016 Oscar winner.

There are sight gags, including the police officers saying “lay down the spikes” and rolling out a porcupine, and clever puns such as the Burning Mammal festival, Piña koalas, and the wicked Dawn Bellwether (Jenny Slate) bearing more than a passing resemblance to a certain refined psychiatrist with a fondness for a nice chianti and fava beans.

Then there are all the animal puns from the pair of zebras called Zebros and Captain Hoggbottom to the touchy sea lion and the sloth named Flash (Raymond S. Persi). The Arctic shrew mob boss who sounds like Don Corleone and the Star Wars cantina recreation (complete with stepping on a tail) are bound to garner giggles.  

The animation is dazzling in the creation of eye-popping worlds and chase sequences — the escape through the water chute is breathtaking. Like the previous film, the sequel written and co-directed by Jared Bush (who wrote the first movie) makes a strong case for inclusivity, and not judging a book by its cover.

A week after the events of the first movie, officers Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are disappointed when their chief Bogo (Idris Elba) tells them, since they are new, they can only be observers as the experienced cops including Razorbacks Captain Hoggbottom (Michelle Gomez) and Truffler (David Fane), the Zebros, and hippopotamuses Bloats (Stephanie Beatriz) and Higgins (Wilmer Valderrama) take down a smuggler in the docks.

Judy’s attempts to catch the smuggler result in all kinds of mayhem and has Bogo issue an ultimatum to the duo. Desperate to make good, and also following a clue from the docks, Judy and Nick crash the posh Zootenial Gala meant to felicitate Zootopia’s founder Ebenezer Lynxley, who patented the weather walls that allowed mammals from every weather system to co-exist.

Judy’s discovery of a snake skin indicates the presence of a reptile. As the duo dig deeper, going into Marsh Market in search of the pit viper, Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan), who stole the journal describing the making of the weather wall, the more secrets and lies the two uncover.  

Judy and Nick are helped along their way by Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster), a podcaster and conspiracy theorist (the two seem to go hand in hand), beaver, a basilisk, Jesús (Danny Trejo) and Pawbert (Andy Samberg), a lynx who is desperate to gain favour with his autocratic father Milton (David Strathairn) and brother Cattrick (Macaulay Culkin).

The stars from the earlier film, including Shakira as Gazelle, reprise their roles. Incidentally, Shakira’s track, “Zoo” at the Burning Mammal festival, is on the right side of toe-tapping.

With non-stop action, bright colours and smart repartee, apart from warmth and acute social commentary, Zootopia 2 is just the utopia needed for these fractious times. And in case you are not in mood for a philosophy lesson, there is always Mayor Brian Winddancer (Patrick Warburton) tossing his mane in the approved manner of stallion superstars.

Zootopia 2 is currently running in theatres