Zootopia; Legitimately Stellar, or Overrated?

[K.Rool Addict 718]

Is Zootopia really an excellent film, or is it just a bunch of overly exuberant furries putting it up on a pedestal?  

For reference, almost every single modern-day animated film I have watched, has left me utterly disappointed. On a chronological basis, the last CGI movie I have watched that I can consider legitimately "good" is WALL-E in 2008. The last "animated" movie I have seen which I thought was good was Coraline in 2009. Some movies after that had good segments, like the beginning of Up or numerous scenes in The Princess and the Frog, for example, but overall didn't quite meet my expectations.

Frozen was a mediocre, snore-fest that took really beautiful narrative elements and defiled them with awful "romantic comedy"-esque humor and modern socio-cultural references at every turn while simultaneously justifying itself under the guise of "relatability". Inside Out was a decent film; can't really call it legitimately "good" as I think it is obscenely overrated, but certainly not as bad as the majority of other CGI movies that have oversaturated the market over the past decade.

 Now, I know this post make come off as a bit... condescending lol. But I assure you my intentions are not to insult but instead to gain knowledge and potentially find recommendations for good modern CGI movies, including the film in question, Zootopia.

/)^3^(\

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,216]

I really enjoyed it in theaters, but looking back, it is not as perfect as the media made it out to be, mostly because of the really forced fallout between Judy and Zack that lasted for like, one scene and then the whole thing where the villain explained everything only for it all to be conveniently record. Wasn't fond of that. It is a great film, but not one of the absolute best.

[MasterOfHugs 45]

The film has its flaws, but its portrayal of racism is pretty on point. what it teaches about the issue of racism (such as no races are exempt from being racist) puts it high on my favorites list. It does this while not being overly preachy, and remaining entertaining. its a solid  8/10 for me.

[K.Rool Addict 718]

Welp.... I watched it lol.

Very mixed feelings... I'm thinking somewhere in the ballpark of a 7.5-ish out of 10, overall. Certainly not a bad film.

On May 27, 2017 at 7:26 PM, Kyoshi said:

I really enjoyed it in theaters, but looking back, it is not as perfect as the media made it out to be, mostly because of the really forced fallout between Judy and Zack that lasted for like, one scene and then the whole thing where the villain explained everything only for it all to be conveniently record. Wasn't fond of that. It is a great film, but not one of the absolute best.

I had an issue with a few scenes toward the beginning-to- middle of the movie. Some of those Frozen-esque forced "quirky" dialogue exchanges were quite cringe-worthy; although, admittedly, there were far fewer of them than I had expected. Some scenes were very good, some were decent.

The main thing that threw me off though, is I have heard many, many people discuss this film before (not in detail or anything, I'd just hear some ramblings about it on podcasts, Youtube videos and the like). These people often highlighted a strong political undertone existing within this film that "beat you over the head" instead of expressing ideas through subtlety. Now, here is the thing; I can most assuredly identify scenes in which there seemed to be a large emphasis on some sort of socio-political viewpoint, BUT I did not see this viewpoint as being related to racism or racial stereotyping/ profiling at all. <-- This was the general consensus of pretty much every person I heard speaking of the film. I actually assumed the director was attempting to make a very unique statement on the current gender politics of western civilizations; wherein all adult males are treated as "potential rapists" in the eyes of the neo-feminist agenda. I felt as though the "Fox Repellant", the muzzles, and how this aforementioned detail evoked feelings of past trauma in Nick were a clear indication of this. I was quite stunned to even think that such a mainstream movie would incorporate a statement like this. But soon thereafter, I was like "Ooooh, maybe THIS is what the "racial undertones" were supposed to be". It didn't quite click at first; and honestly I wish it never did.

Now, aside from all the politics, social outlook etc, that really is all superficial as far as I am concerned. I don't want to let the undertones of the movie influence my impressions of it from an objective standpoint of pure entertainment value. I must say that is was quite a distraction towards the second half of the movie, however (at first a very positive distraction, and then after my Eureka moment, a very negative one). But aside from all that nonsense, I have to admit, the movie DID entertain me, at bare least. Sure, some plot direction was very cliche and just fell flat, but I would be lying if I denied Zootopia's ability to immerse the viewer in a whole 'nother world. It excelled at creating a sense of wonder as the characters lived and journeyed through this fictional environment. The visual splendor definitely helped. 

12 hours ago, MasterOfHugs said:

The film has its flaws, but its portrayal of racism is pretty on point. what it teaches about the issue of racism (such as no races are exempt from being racist) puts it high on my favorites list. It does this while not being overly preachy, and remaining entertaining. its a solid  8/10 for me.

^See SEE! xD I knew it! Its NOT just those guys I heard on Youtube. MasterOfHugs, please read my above wall of text, as I would genuinely love for someone who believes the movie to have anti-racism undertones to read my post xD

Edited May 29, 2017 by K.Rool Addict

[MasterOfHugs 45]

8 minutes ago, K.Rool Addict said:

Welp.... I watched it lol.

Very mixed feelings... I'm thinking somewhere in the ballpark of a 7.5-ish out of 10, overall. Certainly not a bad film.

I had an issue with a few scenes toward the beginning-to- middle of the movie. Some of those Frozen-esque forced "quirky" dialogue exchanges were quite cringe-worthy; although, admittedly, there were far fewer of them than I had expected. Some scenes were very good, some were decent.

The main thing that threw me off though, is I have heard many, many people discuss this film before (not in detail or anything, I'd just hear some ramblings about it on podcasts, Youtube videos and the like). These people often highlighted a strong political undertone existing within this film that "beat you over the head" instead of expressing ideas through subtlety. Now, here is the thing; I can most assuredly identify scenes in which there seemed to be a large emphasis on some sort of socio-political viewpoint, BUT I did not see this viewpoint as being related to racism or racial stereotyping/ profiling at all. <-- This was the general consensus of pretty much every person I heard speaking of the film. I actually assumed the director was attempting to make a very unique statement on the current gender politics of western civilizations; wherein all adult males are treated as "potential rapists" in the eyes of the neo-feminist agenda. I felt as though the "Fox Repellant", the muzzles, and how this aforementioned detail evoked feeling or past trauma in Zack were a clear indication of this. I was quite stunned to even think that such a mainstream movie would incorporate a statement like this. But soon thereafter, I was like "Ooooh, maybe THIS is what the "racial undertones" were supposed to be". It didn't quite click at first; and honestly I wish it never did.

Now, aside from all the politics, social outlook etc, that really is all superficial as far as I am concerned. I don't want to let the undertones of the movie influence my impressions of it from an objective standpoint of pure entertainment value. I must say that is was quite a distraction towards the second half of the movie, however (at first a very positive distraction, and then after my Eureka moment, a very negative one). But aside from all that nonsense, I have to admit, the movie DID entertain me, at bare least. Sure, some plot direction was very cliche and just fell flat, but I would be lying if I denied Zootopia's ability to immerse the viewer in a whole 'nother world. It excelled at creating a sense of wonder as the characters lived and journeyed through this fictional environment. The visual splendor definitely helped. 

^See SEE! xD I knew it! Its NOT just those guys I heard on Youtube. MasterOfHugs, please read my above wall of text, as I would genuinely love for someone who believes the movie to have anti-racism undertones to read my post xD

I was just saying that the movie had a very realistic portrayal of racism. When I saw the previews I believed it was going to be a complete circle  jerk for extreme leftists, but was surprised when it was not. You are right, its racial tones are superficial, but they are there nonetheless.

[K.Rool Addict 718]

1 minute ago, MasterOfHugs said:

I was just saying that the movie had a very realistic portrayal of racism. When I saw the previews I believed it was going to be a complete circle  jerk for extreme leftists, but was surprised when it was not. You are right, its racial tones are superficial, but they are there nonetheless.

That's the thing though. I didn't even identify it as racial undertones until very late into the movie. Perhaps that is evidence of the quality of the execution? Idk, but it certainly came off as noticeable, even if I failed to see it the way others did initially... 

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

It's okay and has it's moments. But i don't see the big hype surrounding this movie.

Now, i might sound a bit like a purist here, But i kinda feel like that this is not a movie for me and i think most classic disney fans out there are of the same opinion (just speculation of course.)

First off, it's not a movie i can lose myself in, because it's pretty much the real world and i don't feel any sense of wonder from it. I can go out and pretty much see the same thing. Second of all, this movie is way too political for me. It's mostly about racial differences. When i wanna watch a disney movie, i don't really care about that. Politics are not part of my disney fantasies.  I will say that i liked the relationship between nick and Judy, but this movie just lacked the atmosphere for me, to really get invested into their relationship.

If anybody asked me, to choose between going hunting criminals with Judy and Nick, or to go into the cave of wonders with Aladdin, i think i pick the latter one.

Not trying to bash anybody who liked this movie, just how i feel about it.

[TheGOAT 64]

Fantastic film all around. Beautiful animation, deep leads, great soundtrack, and a very smart message. Oh and the writing is some of Disney's wittiest, like ever.

[Klaatu 28]

I think it's a solid movie. With some recent animated movies there's been something that bothers me (usually the humor), but I can't remember feeling anything like that during Zootopia.

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

Eh, to each his own. I loved Zootopia a lot personally. For me it blows Coraline and Wall-E out of the water, but that doesn't make it better. We like what we like, no?

[honk friend 1,966]

It's my favorite movie, has been since it came out, and it's not just because it's a recent release that I just happened to really enjoy. It dethroned the Iron Giant which was my favorite for at least as long as I could even have a favorite movie. I absolutely adore the world Disney built in all its perfect functionality, there was never a moment I felt passed too quickly or dragged on too far, I was thoroughly entertained every moment of the film, and though the message was a bit on the nose I think it did a fine job of exploring racism and the nuances that come with it.

And you don't have to like the movie as much as I did, but calling it overrated is absolutely not a valid criticism of the movie, or any piece of art for that matter. What you're essentially doing by calling something overrated is putting your opinion on a pedestal and saying everyone else's opinion is worthless, that they SHOULDN'T enjoy whatever it is that they enjoy because you didn't enjoy it yourself.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Kitty~

[Dreambiscuit 8,021]

I like Zootopia and always enjoy it when I watch it. I love Nick and Judy and think they're great, well-realized characters. The plot is solid without being overwhelmingly brilliant; it's just a nice detective story. It has its twists and surprises but nothing that puts it in the stratosphere. As with all things from the Disney end of the spectrum, it slows down when the board room throttles the audience with not-so-subtle messages, political statements and those oh-so gentle lessons we've all come to expect without fail. If we could get away from all that extraneous stuff, Zootopia would be a lot more fun and entertaining. No matter what your thoughts, beliefs or opinions are, beating the audience over the head with them is bad art, even if you agree with what it's saying. So, spare the subtext and keep the good stuff coming. There's plenty of good stuff there if they just let it flow. 

[Meeps 297]

I found Zootopia to be stellar (for me!) for a variety of reasons.

First and most foremost, it very tastefully portrayed topics that can be very touchy, especially in a children's film.

Second, the animation was just great. I remember seeing a behind the scenes clip where those involved in bringing the characters to life actually studied the animals in the films in person, to get their hair texture just right. That kind of thoughtfulness in a film is always amazing to see. Going along with the animation, some films I don't rush out to see because I dislike the style so much. The Secret Life of Pets was one of these for me. Those characters, IMO, have hideous designs. I remember having a friend who was reluctant to see How the Train Your Dragon simply because Toothless looked like a big salamander to her, and that wasn't how a dragon should look. I believed it was hilarious back then, but I suppose those things do play into the experience (and yes, she did end up seeing the movie and loving it

Third, the nuggets that were placed throughout the film made it likeable for both children and adults. I very much appreciated the humor that was thrown around in the movie, and I didn't see a single kid bugging their parent to leave the theater during my viewings. Nor were the "scary" parts too scary for most little ones.

And lastly, the storyline itself. I loved the plot twist ending; maybe others saw it, but this movie goer didn't! I'm one of those annoying 10/10ers when it comes to this one. And I can't say that for many films...

[LugiaFan249 45]

I've heard that a bunch of furries dressed in "fursuits" went into a theater when Zootopia was released, and caused a LOT of trouble, and they were forced to leave!

[GoldenGumdrop 164]

Lugia, that's a shame because not all furries are like that (I am a furry btw). The thing is, the press gets a hold of bad behavior in certain fandoms and runs with it.

[Meeps 297]

1 hour ago, GoldenGumdrop said:

Lugia, that's a shame because not all furries are like that (I am a furry btw). The thing is, the press gets a hold of bad behavior in certain fandoms and runs with it.

I also heard about the furries going to the movie in their suits, and even had a couple of friends who didn't want to see the movie in theaters in public because of it (which I found to be ridiculous, as I believe it was a great movie). So many people are overly concerned with what others *might* think of them... anyway. I agree that the aspects perceived as bizarre in regard to fandoms is often what gets conentrated on, simply because the easier something is the sensationalize, the easier it is to get attention/hits/money/whatever.

[K.Rool Addict 718]

On June 4, 2017 at 1:16 PM, LugiaFan249 said:

I've heard that a bunch of furries dressed in "fursuits" went into a theater when Zootopia was released, and caused a LOT of trouble, and they were forced to leave!

 

Lmao wtf xD

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

"Overrated" is subjective, and you really have to have a damn good reason to call something overrated.

I've seen the film, and what I will say is it did exceed my expectations as far as the dialogue writing and the visual creativity of the world, which shows the usual care and research that Disney puts into crafting immersive settings. Their research having studied real animals, cities, and police departments really paid off for the most part. To all of it, however, it's far easier for a Disney or Pixar film to extract praise for the setting and immersion because the bar has been set relatively low by the rest of the animation industry, and there is an obvious and deliberate tinge of familiarity running throughout the whole thing because it's a Disney product specifically made with regards to their heritage. It doesn't discount the hard work, but it shows how much they run rings around their competition.

As for the writing itself, it tells a surprisingly well-balanced variation of the classic "American Dream" story arc. Zootopia isn't the utopia that young, optimistic Judy promised herself it would be. At her lowest point, it seems like hell, but as she matures beyond it, she finds it's neither and she has to learn to make the best out of what things are. The movie makes the point in its dialogue, which is very natural, sharp, and timely.

The only thing I'd consider overrated, IMO, is some of the other dialogue. I personally found much of the metaphor pretty obvious and heavy-handed in parts, but this is a very "your mileage may vary" situation, and it's a hard thing to veil into subtlety without confusing the message. Much of the success of the film comes from timing; it just came out against the right political climate for its message to stick.

The only part of the film I really take issue with is how it negatively portrays Judy's parents talking about "settling" for their lot in life in an incredibly forced and caricatured way, as if to portray people who don't achieve or strive for their dreams as Debbie Downer-esque dream killers or somehow less legitimate than people who do so. A lot of people make a good living and are perfectly happy with settling or going with the flow rather than taking charge. This could have been portrayed better in the film as a looming temptation for Judy to return to the comfort of her previous life but to reject to show just how committed she is to her ideals. It's such a minor part of the film that a lot of people miss, but it would have meant more to me if they would have handled it better.

All in all, I think Zootopia is animated filmmaking at one of the finest degrees it can be in this day and age. I don't like it as much as most mainstream critics, audiences, and especially furries do, and there are a handful of other animated features to have come out since 2010 that I've enjoyed more. But I've outlined what I like more or less about it and I can definitely see what others got out of it more than I did.

On 6/4/2017 at 1:16 PM, LugiaFan249 said:

I've heard that a bunch of furries dressed in "fursuits" went into a theater when Zootopia was released, and caused a LOT of trouble, and they were forced to leave!

[citation needed]

[EpicEnergy 22,060]

I enjoyed watching it, and I wouldn't call it overrated.

[TBD 17,228]

The movie isn't all too special, as we already seen talking animals, let alone Toys before- I honestly can't see what's the hype is about.

[Tom Gallagher 33,521]

I never liked it myself so I think it is quite overrated.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

I think it’s brilliant and a good way to talk about discrimination without sparking too much controversy (somewhat, anyways)

[Sonic Shimmer 4,116]

It's a great movie with a good message, but people rave about it like it's the 21st century's greatest piece of media. It's good but it's not that good.

[Venomous 18,813]

It’s a good movie, most people who’ve seen it will agree with that. However, it isn’t an incredible masterpiece. It’s just good, not amazing.

[Axel 1,053]

43 minutes ago, The Wife of Hawks said:

It’s a good movie, most people who’ve seen it will agree with that. However, it isn’t an incredible masterpiece. It’s just good, not amazing.

tl;dr it turned a lot of people into furries if they weren't already LOL