PHOTO COURTESY DISNEYWIKA

By Megan Sarnacki

Staff Writer

Welcome to the city of Zootopia, where anyone can be anything! This vibrant metropolis includes numerous subdivisions, such as Sahara Square, Tundratown, Little Rodentia, and the Rainforest District. It is full of all kinds of mammals, from the biggest elephant to the smallest mouse, and is a place where prey and predators can live side by side.

After becoming the first rabbit police officer, Judy Hopps, voiced by “Once Upon a Time” star Ginnifer Goodwin, cannot wait to make the world a better place. However, the Zootopia Police Department Chief Bogo, voiced by British actor Idris Elba, is reluctant to put this “cute bunny” in the field and assigns her as a meter maid instead. This does not stop Judy, though, as her tenacious spirit gets her into a jeopardizing situation when she volunteers to resign if she does not solve a case in 48 hours. With the help of Nick Wilde, a con artist fox voiced by “Arrested Development” lead Jason Bateman, Judy finds herself in an exhilarating investigation, the one that she has been waiting all life for, filled with many twists and turns.

Directed by Byron Howard (Tangled), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), and Jared Bush (Big Hero 6), this Disney animated film proves to be a great film for the whole family. Not only did it produce a remarkable debut of $73.7 million at the box office in its opening weekend, but it also became the largest opening weekend for Walt Disney Animation Studios, previously maintained by Frozen. As young children will be enthralled by these talking animals and this colorful world, adults can also be entertained with its impressive visual effects and various funny characters and references. While Goodwin and Bateman’s voices fit their characters perfectly, viewers will also recognize that they are just a small handful of this star-studded cast, which includes J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, Bonnie Hunt, Octavia Spencer, and Shakira.

Although this is a cute and fun film, Zootopia also sends powerful messages to the audience for kids and adults alike. Not only does it show people that they can be whatever they want, Zootopia is tale about prejudice and stereotypes. It shows how discrimination can affect anyone and everyone, whether you are considered a prey or predator. This Disney film encourages audiences to turn our attention to trying to connect with others and celebrate what makes us unique, instead of focusing on our differences and separating ourselves from others.