My family and I watched Zootopia on Saturday morning, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you! First, I want to tell you about the incredible experience at Dolby Cinemas at AMC Prime. I’m honestly not sure how I’ll be able to enjoy movies at other theaters after this! For example, the sound quality is impressive, and the seats vibrate with the audio, immersing you entirely in the action. The overall theater experience was indeed one of a kind! It was so incredible that we even made a list of all the other films we wanted to see at a Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime.
Here is a list of Dolby Cinemas at AMC Prime, so you too can enjoy this movie (and many others):
- Arizona — AMC Desert Ridge 18
- Georgia — AMC North Point Mall 12
- Illinois — AMC Hawthorn 12
- Missouri — AMC BarryWoods 24
- New Jersey — AMC Garden State 16
- Northern California — AMC NewPark 12
- Southern California — AMC Burbank 16 and AMC Century City 15
- Texas — AMC Deerbrook 24 and AMC Willowbrook 24
- Virginia — AMC Hampton Town Centre 24
Let’s dive into the Zootopia movie now.
Zootopia consists of different neighborhoods that celebrate diverse cultures. Sahara Square is home to desert animals. Tundratown caters to polar bears and moose. The Rain Forest District is hot and humid. Little Rodentia is for the smallest mammals, while Bunnyburrow is where many bunnies thrive. At the center is Savanna Central, the downtown area. It’s a melting pot where various mammals from all environments come together, reflecting the cultural diversity found in many big cities.
Zootopia is a place where anyone can be anything. Judy Hopps has believed this since she was a small bunny. When she finally becomes a police officer, she eagerly takes on her first case. The city is unique because predators and prey live as neighbors. The film follows Judy as she teams up with Nick, a clever hustler fox, to solve the case.
Characters in Zootopia
Zootopia features a vibrant cast of characters that bring the city to life. Each character represents different traits and backgrounds, reflecting the diverse society. Judy Hopps is an ambitious and optimistic bunny. She embodies determination as she becomes the first rabbit police officer. Her partner, Nick Wilde, is a charming and street-smart fox. His quick wit adds humor and depth to their partnership. Other memorable characters include Chief Bogo, a formidable water buffalo who oversees the police department, and Flash, an adorably shy sloth at the DMV. Flash provides comedic relief with his slow-paced interactions. Each character contributes to the rich tapestry of Zootopia. Together, they highlight themes of friendship, acceptance, and the importance of understanding one another despite differences.
Judy Hopps
Officer Judith Laverne Hopps, a European rabbit, is a central character alongside Nick Wilde. From a young age, she dreamed of being Zootopia’s first rabbit police officer. On her first day, they assign her to parking meter duty. While on the job, she meets Nick Wilde, a fox pretending to buy an ice pop for his son, but he plans to resell it. This encounter leads Judy on a wild chase to catch Duke Weaselton, frustrating Chief Bogo. Amid the chaos, Judy promises Mrs. Otterton that she will find her missing husband. Chief Bogo threatens to expel her for giving false hope, but he offers her two days to solve the case.
Determined, Judy seeks Nick’s help. He takes her to the traffic department to introduce her to Flash, who will help track down the limo where Mr. Otterton was last seen. They learn the limo belongs to crime boss Mr. Big, who initially threatens them. However, he softens when Judy mentions saving his daughter, Fru Fru. Grateful, Mr. Big gives Judy the address of the limo driver, Manchas. Manchas reveals that Otterton went wild after attacking him, and soon after, Manchas also goes wild. Judy and Nick find footage revealing that Manchas was taken to an asylum, where they discover Mr. Otterton and other missing predators. They realize that Mayor Lionheart is behind their confinement.
Though Judy feels proud of solving the case, the chaos impacts her friends, including Nick and Clawhauser. Overwhelmed with guilt, she resigns from the police force and returns to Bunnyburrow to help her father. There, she learns that flowers stolen by Weaselton are causing the predators’ violent behavior. This revelation drives her back to Zootopia, where she reconciles with Nick, and they continue their investigation.
Eventually, they uncover that Bellwether is the mastermind behind the plot. They record her confession and bring her to justice. Afterward, Nick joins the police force as Judy’s partner. Chief Bogo assigns them their first job together. In this reimagined storyline, Judy supports Nick, the protagonist. As a lieutenant, her optimistic outlook contrasts with the harsh realities of their world.
Nick Wilde
Nicholas Piberius Wilde is a red fox and Judy Hopps’ best friend. Initially, he is a con artist who tricks Judy into buying a large ice pop for his “son.” Later, Judy discovers that his partner Finnick is posing as his child, and they plan to resell more minor ice pops. When Judy asks Nick for help with Mr. Otterton’s disappearance, he declines. However, she blackmails him by threatening to expose his tax evasion.
Nick introduces Judy to Flash from the traffic department to help track down the limo where they last saw Mr. Otterton. They learn that the limo belongs to crime boss Mr. Big, who knows Nick. Just as Mr. Big is about to freeze them, his daughter Fru Fru intervenes, recognizing Judy for saving her in Little Rodentia. Grateful, Mr. Big gives Judy the address of the limo driver, Manchas. Manchas reveals that Otterton went wild after attacking him. Soon after, Manchas also goes wild, prompting Nick to share his childhood experiences of discrimination as a predator.
As Judy and Nick continue their investigation, they uncover footage from traffic cameras that shows Manchas being taken to an asylum. They find Mr. Otterton and other missing predators there, revealing that Mayor Lionheart is responsible for their confinement. Although Judy is proud to solve the case, the resulting fear in Zootopia leads to increased discrimination against predators. Nick feels upset when he sees that even Judy harbors fear toward them. Later, Judy apologizes to Nick and asks for his help again, earning his forgiveness.
Together, they uncover that Bellwether is the mastermind behind the plot. They manage to set her up to record her confession and bring her to justice. In the end, Nick joins the police force as Judy’s partner, and Chief Bogo assigns them their first job together. From Nick’s perspective, Zootopia has always been flawed. Following a cynical protagonist would undermine the story’s message and the essence of the city.
Chief Bogo
Chief Bogo is an African buffalo and the police chief of Zootopia’s 1st Precinct. At first, he is stern with Judy and doubts her commitment to the force. On her first day, he assigns her the mundane task of managing parking meters. When Judy causes chaos in Little Rodentia while investigating Mr. Otterton’s disappearance, Chief Bogo gives her an ultimatum: solve the case in two days or face dismissal.
After Judy successfully resolves the case, he sees her as a competent officer. By the film’s end, after Nick joins the force, Chief Bogo assigns him and Judy their first mission as partners.
Benjamin Clawhauser
Officer Benjamin Clawhauser is a cheetah who serves as a dispatcher and desk sergeant at Zootopia’s 1st Precinct. He weighs a little too much and is a devoted fan of Gazelle. Clawhauser enjoys snacking on doughnuts while on duty. When Judy arrives at the precinct, he quickly becomes friends with her. However, when Judy uncovers the mystery of predators reverting to their wild instincts, they dismiss Clawhauser due to concerns about his status as a predator.
After Judy and Nick reveal the actual cause of these changes, Clawhauser joyfully returns to his role. His fellow officers greet him with a box of doughnuts to celebrate his comeback.
Dawn Bellwether
Dawn Bellwether is a small female sheep and a significant antagonist in the Zootopia franchise. She first appears as the main villain and is introduced as the deputy mayor of Zootopia. Experiencing discrimination as a smaller animal, she often faces disrespect from Mayor Lionheart. Despite this, she supports Judy’s entry into the police department and eagerly offers help solving Mr. Otterton’s disappearance by sharing footage from the city’s traffic cameras.
When authorities arrest Mayor Lionheart for kidnapping Mr. Otterton and other missing predators, Bellwether takes control of the city. However, Judy later discovers that she is the mastermind behind the scheme. Bellwether causes predators to revert to their feral state, motivated by her frustration with the disdain small animals like her receive. With Nick’s help, Judy exposes Bellwether’s sinister plot, leading to her arrest and that of her accomplices.
Leodore Lionheart
Mayor Leodore Lionheart is a noble yet pompous lion who served as the mayor of Zootopia. During Judy’s investigation into Mr. Otterton’s disappearance, she discovers that Lionheart has kept all the missing predators locked up after they reverted to their wild state. He tries to conceal this from the public to prevent panic about the potential fate of all predators, including himself. Authorities arrest Lionheart and others complicit in the kidnapping scheme. He warns Judy that a more significant force is behind the events unfolding in the city. After his arrest, his subordinate, Bellwether, is sworn in as the new mayor.
When Bellwether is exposed as the mastermind behind the epidemic and arrested, a news report reveals that the still-incarcerated Lionheart has denied any involvement in her plot. He claims he was trying to save the city and justifies his actions as a “wrong thing for the right reason.”
Mr. Big
Mr. Big is an Arctic shrew and the crime boss of Tundratown, surrounded by a group of polar bear enforcers. When his thugs capture Judy and Nick, he pretends to have frozen them for trespassing on his property. However, his daughter Fru Fru intervenes, reminding him that Judy saved her life in Little Rodentia. Grateful for Judy’s actions, Mr. Big shares all his information about Mr. Otterton’s disappearance. Later, he assists Judy and Nick by interrogating Duke Weaselton and intimidating him with threats of freezing.
Fru Fru
Frubelina “Fru Fru” Big is an Arctic shrew and the daughter of Mr. Big. She becomes friends with Judy after Judy saves her from a runaway donut sign in Little Rodentia. This act of bravery allows Fru Fru to prevent her father from freezing Judy and Nick, scolding him for his actions on her wedding day. In gratitude, Fru Fru makes Judy the godmother and namesake of her daughter.
Flash (everyone’s favorite Zootopia sloth!)
Flash Slothmore is the “fastest” three-toed sloth at the DMV (Department of Mammal Vehicles). When Judy and Nick ask for his help locating the car where they last saw Mr. Otterton, his notoriously slow pace delays the information until nightfall. In the film’s finale, they discover that Flash is the driver of a speeding car that Judy and Nick end up chasing.
Stu and Bonnie Hopps
Stu and Bonnie Hopps are European rabbits living in Bunnyburrow. As carrot farmers, they are the proud parents of Judy Hopps. However, they are increasingly worried about Judy’s choice to pursue a career in law enforcement, fearing the risks it entails for a small animal like her. During her childhood, they attempted to encourage her to choose a safer profession as a farmer, but their attempts fell short.
As Judy prepared to move to Zootopia for her police job, they expressed their worries. They reminded her to be careful as they said goodbye at the train station. During a video call, they felt relieved to see Judy working as a parking officer. They viewed this as a safer position. However, they were overjoyed when Judy returned home to help on the farm. Their joy turned to confusion when she abruptly departed again.
Zootopia so reflects a lot of what’s happening in our country today. It explores the tensions between predators and prey, which parallels the racial and religious tensions we face in the real world. The fear of the “other” can lead good people to say and do hurtful things. Does that resonate with the current situation in our country? I noticed this theme right away while my kids enjoyed a fantastic movie, which is something Disney does so well.
This film weaves multiple plots into an amazing storyline; it’s a detective story that emphasizes not judging others by appearances and highlights how, at our core, we all share the same desires.
If you enjoyed this movie, try out our Zootopia Sloth Cocoa!