Disney’s Zootopia is out on Blu-ray and DVD June 7th. Does the home entertainment package have cool extras? Is this one a keeper for your collection? Check out Kidzworld’s Blu-ray review.
By: Lynn Barker
In Zootopia, bunny Judy Hopps is defying tradition and heading to the big city to become the first rabbit police officer. Odds are overwhelmingly against her. When you are a go-getter bunny like Judy, you are even more determined to live your dream.
First in her class at the AcademyCourtesy of Disney
Off to the Big City
Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) is a hopeful bunny from Bunyburrow who wants to be a police officer in big city Zootopia. Her parents worry and discourage her but Judy goes to the city and passes her tough training ending up first in her academy class. Finally, she is a rookie officer at ZPD but there has never been a rabbit officer so police chief Bogo (Idris Elba) makes her a meter maid giving out parking tickets. Judy vows to be the best meter maid ever!
First day at the stationhouseCourtesy of Disney
Foxy Mr. Wilde
Con artist fox Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) tricks Judy and makes her want to kick herself. Judy brings Duke Weaselton (Alan Tudyk) who has stolen some weird plant bulbs but Bogo is angry at her for overstepping her assignment bounds. When Mrs. Otterton (Octavia Spencer) desperately wants police to find her missing husband, Judy volunteers and is supported by Deputy Mayor Dawn Bellweather (Jenny Slate) but Bogo wants her to resign in 48 hours if she doesn’t find him.
Nick the fox confronts Officer Hopps the bunnyCourtesy of Disney
Nick’s Unwilling Help
Judy threatens to turn Nick in for tax evasion so he helps her investigate and they track Otterton to the limo of a crime boss named Mr. Big who catches them. His daughter Fru Fru, whom Judy helped earlier, prevents dad from killing them. Nick and Judy discover that many predator animals are “going savage” and attacking others. The duo continues their investigation having many adventures along the way while developing mutual friendship and respect.
Judy confronts Mr. BigCourtesy of Disney
Time is Running Out
With time running out on the 48 hours, Judy and Nick discover a hidden lab where all the missing prey animals that have gone savage are kept. Mayor Lionheart of Zootopia (J.K. Simmons) was working with a doctor to find out why they have turned savage. When the news hits town, all the prey animals are suspicious and terrified of their neighbor predator critters. Nick wonders if Judy also thinks he is an evil predator who will harm her. This breaks up their friendship. Will these two make up and nail who is behind all the chaos?
Mayor LionheartCourtesy of Disney
Special Extra Features
- Research: A True Life Adventure reveals how, as usual, Disney animators were sent out into the world to observe. This time it was to theme parks and Africa to check out every detail of various animal behavior. Studio head John Lasseter told his directors who pitched the idea of a city full of interacting animals with different districts according to their climate needs, “I will support any movie that has animals running around in tiny clothes”. Oookay.
- In Origin of an Animal Tale, we learn from the various writers how the basic story evolved and changed; at one point radically, shifting the lead animal to another and deciding the current story was just too negative (it involved some animals wearing shock collars!).. Interesting to see how much the story shifted.
Songstress GazelleCourtesy of Disney
- Zoology: The Roundtables presents groups of designers and animators who talk about working with the many different animal furs, keeping the size of the animals true to real-life scale, working on the unique environmental districts in the city and the clothes (one animator worries about pants. Should all animals have pants? Another animator reminds.. “Hey Donald Duck didn’t have pants”. Point taken. Informative and fun.
- Scoretopia features the unique musical soundtrack for the film, revealing the many off-beat, exotic musical instruments used. Cool.
- ZPD: Forensic Files is a collection of “Easter eggs”, hidden tributes to other Disney animated films that are peppered throughout the movie. Some you might have seen; most you won’t catch. Fun.
- Try Everything Music Video presents singer Shakira, who plays the singing gazelle in the film, recording her song against clips from the film. Catchy.
- Deleted Characters and Deleted Scenes – a collection described by the directors. Left out for various reasons were cute gerbils, a badger, an old goat, a female piggy mayor, razorback hogs and a big fat sheep…in wolf’s clothing. Always fun to see additional scenes.
Zootopia | Arriving (Judy Hopps)
Wrapping Up
We still think that Zootopia is one of the best animated films out in a long time! Great characters, beautiful animation, cute jokes for the whole family. Great in 3-D and the extras on the Blu-ray are both educational and fun. We especially liked extras in which filmmakers relate the development of the story with some really BIG changes along the way.
Zootopia's many districtsCourtesy of Disney
Disney does the usual thorough job of telling us how their films are made in an interesting and entertaining manner. We go five stars.
Zootopia Blu-ray Rating: 
Zootopia Blu-ray cover artCourtesy of Disney
Zootopia is available on Blu-ray + DVD June 7th!
Have Your Say
Is this film a definite take home (or gift) for you? What do you like most about it. Share a comment below.
