Zootopia – Fandango Family Movie Review
What’s the story: Zootopia is a truly magical place where cities with names like Sahara Square, Tundratown, Rainforest District and more comprise a world where all animals live in harmony. Predators and prey, are able to co-exist in this budding metropolis of a world. As the first rabbit to receive a police badge, officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) has an optimistic view of her new role, until she is assigned the task of meter maid by the Chief of the police department, Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba). Determined to prove herself, Officer Hopps embarks on a wild adventure with a known troublemaker, the infamous fox, known as Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman.
What parents may like about this movie: The story included an array of spectacular set design, action-packed scenes, and jokes that kept my son interested and excited to see what happened at each turn. I loved that the story focused on character, honesty and integrity and they are all themes that resonated with each of us.
What kids will like: The imagery, the good vs evil, the chase scenes and the friendships that develop throughout the movie were aspects that the kids really enjoyed. The sloths and their slow, drawn out joke has been retold about a dozen times, by my 7 year old. It was certainly his most memorable scene.
Concerns: There were a couple of scenes that had my 5 year old and her 7 year old friend scared. The darkness of the scenes with Mr. Big and his underground bad guys were scary at first but they soften and the kids appreciated that.
Bottom Line: The movie had beautiful cinematography, a good story, and easy for kids to relate to, with a positive message about believing in yourself, having courage and integrity. I would recommend it and see it again.
Positive themes: We really loved the premise that in Zootopia, “anyone can be anything”. The ability of Judy Hopps to discover her strengths and confidence in herself is a great message for kids. The lessons that Nick Wilde learns, about the importance of friendship and building trust were also great themes for the kids to witness. As Judy Hopp’s says, “Life’s a little bit messy. We all make mistakes. No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you”. (5/5)
Violence/scare factor: There were plenty of bad guy scenes and some bullying scenes, but overall it was not a violent movie for kids under 5. (2/5)
Sex/Romance: None (0/5)
Bad language: If there was any, we didn’t notice it. 0/5
Rating: PG
Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes
Moviegoers: Mom, 45; Dad, 40; Luke, 7; Sydney 5
Family movie faves: Home Alone (all 3!), Toy Story, Inside Out, Minions, Star Wars.
Fave movies for grown-ups: The Holiday, Mission Impossible, Never Been Kissed.
Zootopia is currently in theaters now. For more information about this movie or to buy tickets, visit Fandango. To get another parent’s take on this film, check out Mom’s Movie Minute HERE.
Read more on Fandango for this film http://fandan.co/1RMxr4j
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