On Nov. 26, Zootopia 2 hit the box office. We fell in love with the unique partnership of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, when they saved the city from the assistant mayor in the original Zootopia. In the sequel, detective duo Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) are back with a new, and even more daring mission: They want to let reptiles, a species unjustly banned from Zootopia, back into the city. 

While this is an animated children’s movie, it also looks at important, very pertinent, themes. The message of inclusion invites viewers to think about ignoring our own differences, and including everyone, regardless of their race, gender and sexuality. 

“The world will never be a better place if nobody is brave enough to do the right thing,” Hopps says at one point, a crucial lesson, which, incredibly, is found in a kids’ movie.

While this movie has some serious themes, its humor also pulls viewers in. Three of the key characters that are added to this movie include Nibbles Maplestick, Pawbert Lynxley and Gary De’Snake. Having come out nine years after Zootopia, a lot of the film’s original fans are now adults. 

A key aspect of the humor in this movie is the number of adult jokes that are made. “It takes two to tango, but a threesome to be some,” Nibbles says. While Nibbles, a beaver, is a hilarious new addition to the show, I don’t think this line and some of the other adult jokes were necessary. As a part of the adult audience, I found the movie to be funny because of the more innocent jokes that Nibbles made and Nick Wilde’s sarcastic comments. I don’t think people necessarily laughed out loud at this “threesome” joke, so I think it could’ve been cut from the movie.

Then, of course, there is the banter between Hopps and Wilde. The way Nick Wilde constantly teases Judy Hopps is as present as ever in this movie. In addition, there are also heartfelt moments when Nick is vulnerable with Judy that are incredibly wholesome:

“I care about you. And I didn’t say it. I should’ve said it…I’m not good at expressing these feelings, probably because I’ve been alone my whole life,” Nick confesses to Judy, when they are standing on a hilltop in the snow.

In this conversation, Nick Wilde portrays how hard it is to open up about how we feel, but how great it often feels when we do. To me, this added an emotional depth to Nick that wasn’t seen as much in the first movie. This character development made the movie connect with me more; a character on screen, even one that is animated, that feels so real and human, allows myself and other viewers to feel seen. In speaking to human nature and our struggles, Zootopia goes above and beyond other animated films . 

In continuing the worldbuilding from Zootopia One, this sequel measured up to what I hoped to find in this movie – a world that draws me in and that I can applaud for its creativity. From celebrating the “Zootenial” to including a performance, voiced by Shakira, of the newly written song “Zoo” for an audience of animals, the unique world of Zootopia is as joyful as ever.

Overall, I would definitely recommend going to see Zootopia 2. The action-packed mission to save the reptiles, with many scary moments when the viewer doesn’t know if Hopps and Wilde will succeed, has viewers on the edge of their seats, rooting for this unexpected team. The  important messages, combined with the humor, and of course, the slow burn romance between a fox and a bunny, make this movie perfect for kids and adults alike.