Zootopia 2 (2025)

This was delightful. I was worried because from the trailer it seemed like the story would follow essentially the same arc as the original, just with carnivores replaced by reptiles, but it actually builds upon the original message and gracefully layered on a bit more nuance, though it does lose focus occasionally. 

The films throws a lot at you. It has lots of clever lines, countless easter eggs, and is filled with belly-laugh moments. Somehow, it doesn’t get tiring - it’s a rare case of more is more and it actually works. 

However, what I loved most about the first film was how the duo was directly involved in the central conflict of the story. The way Judy and Nick bonded and built trust with each other over a set of impossible circumstances was so moving to see. In contrast, their dynamic in this film was frustrating and their conflict feels more manufactured than organic. Though I was just as moved when they reconnected, I’m not sure how much that is credit to this story as opposed to the first film. 

PS: Always love to see great injection of DEI, especially in films with children as a