A Funny and Heartfelt ZOOTOPIA 2 Finds Success Treading Familiar Ground (Review)

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Similar to the first Zootopia movie, the sequel features Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps teaming up to solve a case that could divide their city. The story revolves around widespread fear of a particular group and the challenges of overcoming prejudice. Ultimately, it’s a funny and touching story about acceptance and understanding that reminds us our similarities are more important than our differences, all wrapped up in a compelling mystery and vibrant world.

Honestly, it’s a lot like the first Zootopia, and just as good! While the sequel doesn’t break a ton of new ground, it’s still a really fun and touching movie, and definitely a worthy follow-up. I really enjoyed it.

A key to keeping Zootopia 2 fresh is the addition of interesting new characters and locations. The story centers around a planned city expansion that threatens the home of Zootopia’s marginalized communities. Everything changes when Gary, a snake voiced brilliantly by Ke Huy Quan, appears and steals a crucial historical document during a major celebration, setting the central conflict in motion. Gary is also the first reptile to be seen publicly in the city for a century, but he insists he’s not the villain when Judy and Nick apprehend him.

Okay, so Judy and Nick’s investigation takes some really interesting turns, and it introduces a bunch of fantastic new characters. Fortune Feimster is hilarious as Nibbles, a beaver who runs a conspiracy theory podcast – seriously, she steals every scene. Then there’s Pawbert, voiced by Andy Samberg, who’s this black sheep lynx from a super powerful family – they’re the ones who originally owned the book Gary stole! Patrick Warburton is a standout as Mayor Winddancer, a horse turned politician, and honestly, he’s the funniest character visually we’ve seen in this series – and genuinely funny with his lines too. Oh, and there’s a brilliant sequence with Danny Trejo as a really cool lizard! I genuinely loved all the new additions to the cast; they really elevated the film.

Despite being very similar to the first movie, this sequel feels fresh thanks to its new story elements and consistently funny animal puns. However, it’s not without flaws. The biggest issues are a reliance on callbacks to the original film and a slow start. While the first half isn’t as captivating or humorous, the second half is genuinely excellent and picks up the pace significantly.

The conflict between Nick and Judy as partners feels unearned and doesn’t quite fit with how their story ended in the first movie. It seems like an artificial way to create drama, and what’s happening on screen doesn’t feel consistent with the reasons given. While younger viewers might not pick up on this, it’s noticeable for others.

Ultimately, the conclusion of Judy and Nick’s story feels worthwhile, and Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin deliver fantastic performances as always. The script introduces a compelling new conflict for them, though it doesn’t fully explore it until the very end. While this creates some confusion, the emotional resolution is satisfying. The film also successfully wraps up the mystery surrounding the reptiles and Zootopia’s history, adding depth and richness to the city itself – making it a more interesting place than we saw in the first movie.

“Zootopia 2” feels very similar to the first movie, but it’s still a success. It starts a little slowly, but once the story gets going, it quickly becomes exciting and fast-paced.

Zootopia 2 comes to theaters on November 26, 2025.

Zootopia 2 ⭐ (3.5 of 5)

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2025-11-25 20:03