Sometimes a movie is more than just a movie. It’s an introspective look that gets at the heart of what it means to be human. A story of love lost and love won. Sometimes it’s a “children’s” animated film that tackles class struggle, marginalized people, and gentrification in a way that’s fun for kids, but also has easter eggs that make adults happy. This is what you get with Disney’s MASSIVE new hit, ‘Zootopia 2.’ A true-to-life tale as old as time.
Spoilers Ahead!
‘Zootopia 2’ focuses on the protagonists from the first film, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who uncover a centuries-old conspiracy that led to the exiling of the reptile community from Zootopia. As they work to uncover the mystery, they encounter Gary de Snake (Ke Huay Quan), the grandson of the snake who was accused of the murder of the maid of Ebenezer Lynxley, a rich and powerful aristocrat. Working together, the heroes discover that Lynxley had framed Gary’s grandmother, stolen her plans for the weather wall, and stolen the reptile’s land. To add insult to injury, Lynxley demonized the reptiles and snakes through lies and fear-mongering. The entire plot smacks of historical significance.
Shining A Light On History
To have an understanding of ‘Zootopia 2’ as anything more than a fun animated family film, it is important to have a firm grasp on the history that it mirrors. Class struggle is ingrained in the human condition. The almighty battle for social equality. A battle that has NEVER been had on equal footing, whether the battle is between the rich and poor or the battle is for human rights and human dignity.
READ MORE: Wicked in the Land of Oz: A Look Back at ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’
The reptiles are a marginalized community within the Zootopian society. Demonized by an oppressor who sought to exploit their resources and ideas. This idea alone is indicative of colonizer behavior. Western colonization of the Americas led to the exploitation of not only the resources, but also the exploitation of the people and their ideas.
The indigenous people were harshly fear mongered by white settlers as the borders of the United States began to expand and encroach on sacred native lands. The same is done by the Lynxleys, as their lies about the snakes and the snakes’ propensity for violence led the Zootopian community to have a fear of snakes and thus all reptiles. This led to them going into hiding in the tundra, remaining in the shadows of society. The lie became repeated so much that it ultimately became true.
The lesson within the animation, however, goes much deeper than that. The idea expands further to include ALL of those who were colonized and robbed. From South Africa, whose stolen artifacts currently reside in the British Museum, left with only apartheid, to the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the historical imprint on ‘Zootopia 2’ is undeniable. The Lynxleys took the idea for the weather wall and sold it as their own, securing their place in history.
The rich and powerful have always found ways to acquire more wealth. Whether it was the Robber Barons, who exploited the labor of the lower classes, or the kings and lords, who would just as easily wipe out thousands of their own people as they did in the aftermath of the German Peasants’ War, as they would feed them, the rich enriched their own existence at the expense of the poor.
The Lynxleys’ takeover of the neighborhood is indicative of an ever-expanding need for the rich to expand their own wealth. Think in terms of who owns Airbnb’s and the availability of affordable housing, or, better yet, local government rehousing people to build shopping centers. Both of these efforts negatively impact the housing and job availability in poorer neighborhoods, while transparently lining the pockets of the rich.
Power to the People
‘Zootopia 2”s most enduring message comes from its very common protagonist. Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Gary de Snake aren’t special in any kind of spectacular way. They’re just regular people fighting for what’s right. Hopps, Wilde, and de Snake are able to topple Zootopia’s most powerful family by never giving up on the goal at hand and having faith in one another despite their differences.
It’s this kind of tenacity from average, every day people peacefully protesting at lunch counters and marching for voting rights that gained the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It has been seen all throughout history that every day, people have the power to achieve great things and enact real change. ‘Zootopia 2’ gets right at the heart of that in a beautifully remarkable way.
Read More: A Worthy Return to the Wild?
The message is more powerful and poignant now more than ever. As there are forces within our own government that seek to demonize our neighbors, dividing people so that they can gain just one more scrap from the table, it is important to remember that there is a power within all of us to speak out and fight for what is right.
The Importance of ‘Zootopia 2’
The importance of ‘Zootopia 2’ and films like it can’t be understated. They serve as a bridge between generations in a way that complex situations become simplified. A child can see that what was happening to the snakes was wrong, and the Lynxleys were the bad guys. Adults see a wider societal problem that is indicative of the society they find themselves in. Simply put, they’re conversation starters to big world problems presented in a way that children can understand, but parents can enjoy.
In a time where the rich and powerful have a seemingly insurmountable amount of power, it is important that we take ‘Zootopia 2’s’ message forward: finding power within ourselves and those around us to overcome insurmountable odds when the chips are stacked against us. At the end of the day, we are stronger united than we are divided.
‘Zootopia 2’ In Theaters NOW!
To Keep Up to Date On All Things Film and TV, Follow Me on Threads and Letterboxd.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply