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Zootopia – How furries can make you more human
9 years ago
My values and my imagination rated this movie 4,5/5
I saw Zootopia. Damn.
So, so, so. I can’t really talk about it like that, without telling anything else. It’s been a long time that I waited for this movie, like a lot of us around here, I suppose; since the announcement of its concept. I won’t drag on over an autobiography, but my interest for other species than ours, and my taste for multispecies worlds and stories, bring me many times (not to say, “always”) to read, write, or imagine societies where cohabit a lot of different beasts.
Why is that so important to me? (Beside the fact we all assume it is utterly cool?) Because I consider that thinking about multispecies societies, wondering what would we do, and figuring out stories in these worlds remind us each second about altruism, about respect of the other behind the physical differences, and, above all, it remind us our essential equality, which takes its source in the very fact we are all people – or, if you allow me to be inaccurate in English in order to be more accurate in my French thoughts, the very fact that we are all persons. Thinking about living with other species, it’s forgetting for one moment that we are humans, and considering that there is something else than biology or taxonomic criteria that gather us : it’s our existence as thinking, sensitive, sapient, and free beings.
So, yeah, seeing my values, my tastes when it comes to imagination, and what and who I am, I couldn’t wait, I was anxious to see this movie. Without speaking about the fact that Disney, as the greatest of the “for young and old alike” animation studios, isn’t at its first try about putting on stage anthropomorphic animals. Yeah, “furries”.
To be true, as soon as I came out of the movies, I was satisfied. I wasn’t fulfilled, but, eventually, satisfied.
Now that I’m writing these lines and that I am reflecting about it, I can say that I am fulfilled by this movie in many points, and enough to make me forget the two-or-three defaults which remain. My rating indeed has grew about 0.5 point more during the writing of this opinion. (Which is a lot since I’m rating on a scale of 5. Just to say.)
First, the main good points, without real surprise (but which are always relieving when you see them calling present).
The animation is perfect, really well done and all the more astounding. Maybe as not remarking as in The Good Dinosaur (which was the most beautiful movie I have ever seen, visually speaking), but Disney Animation Studios always fill us with colors and fluidity, and keeps on proving their master class.
The main characters (who are opposed-by-everything-oh-god-it’s-a-buddy-movie-wow) are very well introduced to my mind, and, consequently, very cute and touching. It pleases me to find here a heroine (not a princess in any way, plz), and, I say, really likeable, of a good realistic nature, and who would almost make us feel like doing like her. Juddy Hopps (that’s her name) and Nick Wilde (the adorable fox that get along her despite himself) end up building a duo which rocks to my mind, their relationship evolving right until the last moments of the movie. So, I really have no hole to pick in these, and I will just say “Youhou”.
Then, the few disappointments (a negative point becomes disappointment as soon as the movie was desired, right?)
I’m a bit disappointed by Michael Giacchino’s music, in a way that no musical theme is really remarkable or sticks to the mind when you come out. I find it too bad seeing how this composer is talented and how many pieces of music he had been able to put in our heads. This said, Shakira’s song “Try Everything” is cool enough to my mind, and, even if it’s a bit “hey look we have Shakira”, the song is worth it: it’s a song which belongs to Zootopia society, and Juddy listens to it as we would do to motivate us – so, technically, it is completely legit. Ah, yes, now I’m thinking about it, the first ending titles deserve a good point, because I found them as well brought-in and integrated to the story as the song in itself.
Other negative points for me are some predictable scenario elements, in the way that many times I have found it possible to guess what was about to happen a few seconds just before it comes true. The great lines of the scenario aren’t obvious, so it’s nice, but some of its elements are a bit forced into the flow of events (you’ll be judge), and can spoil some seconds of suspense or scenario on the moment. The movie antagonist also bears one of this nasty inclinations to not appear enough on screen as the bad guy, in order that we would remember him if he did. Thing that is, well… I don’t know. :v At least, it doesn’t help its antagonism. Hm.
Now, the good surprises. If there are some flaws to the scenario, I have found it generally well rhythmed – maybe a bit too well rhythmed sometimes, with for example with a slight abuse of scenes like “the characters keeps on talking in off while we move to another scene”, but it’s nothing –, and, above all, the gist of the scenario is really perfect according to me. (I won’t spoil you; don’t watch the latest trailer though, it might spoil you some elements.) The scenario, by mixing effectively a police investigation and the very reason of the existence of this movie, allows the scenarists to build the movie a strong message, from A to Z; wearing strong values, more than vital to our life in society to my mind, this society being human or not.
Because, finally, there is the point I wanted to make.
The most important in this animated movie, what makes me clearly love it, and what, ultimately, makes me forget the few flaws I was finding in it, it is its intention. Morale or level of reading are often strong points in the Disney movies, and are generally the only arguments to support to encourage parents to come this movie too. But here, Zootopia, telling us about an entire society, analyzes our societies – not only American society (well, yeah, more or less, looking at you, doughnuts), but our human societies in general, everything they imply, and even(tually) the very idea of what a society is. This movie tells us about a multitude of society matters, from discrimination, prejudices, racism, to atavism, feminism, or the glass-ceiling problem… And, in the same time, in a realistic way, this movie defends notions of courage, of willingness to become what we want to be, and the respect of the others. So, yeah. To my mind, this movie succeeds in encapsulating a lot of the benefits that I find to imagine a society full of different species. And, like this city, Zootopia, this movie is anchored in our modern world more than ever, diffusing values extremely important for today – would it be for the young little girls’ dreams, or for some old, nearly xenophobic parents seeing nowadays events. It’s, really, the strongest point of this movie, and what made me, eventually, loves it a lot.
…And this, despite the main default that I have found in it, and which ultimately revealed itself to be another quality; on another plan.
I took first this feeling for an “A movie that gave us what he promised us” feel, or an “A movie that doesn’t go farther” feel (this last is extremely wrong in definitive, seeing the formidable morale it offers us). But this feeling is actually a feeling of “we want more”. Multi-species, imaginary universes are fascinating because they are limitless, and they open the door to so many scenarios and relationships possibilities that they almost have an endless potential. Besides the mere fact I love them, that’s why I work with such universes, and why I am not about to stop.
It’s in some way the problem but also the quality of the universe which is offered to us here: damn, it is so big, so fertile! So many species (although there are only mammals in this movie, sorry (I found it too bad too first)), so many districts, so many inventions, so many possible stories in such world… Just look at all the stories we have around here, and we all know how much there is to tell! So many subjects, so many matters – even the movie directors agree on saying that they weren’t able to show us in this movie all that they have imagined, from subterranean district for nocturnal animals to islands artificially created for the marina fauna. So many things I would have liked to see and which are to be told, and only 1 hour and 45 minutes – yes indeed, I would have expected to be slightly disappointed. But now I’m realizing all of this, I see this point as a flaw merely coming from the successes of this movie: giving us a universe so dense and so substantial that we would love to see more of it and discover always more. So, yeah, I am more than okay to see Zootopia again, but above all, I would be in complete bliss if they announce a sequel, or, even better, sequels… Because, there is so much to imagine!
To conclude, I will add one more thing, globally summing up this movie, its values, and its universe to my mind: it’s a movie that gives (me) the right feels and puts (you) in very good mood. Because of its positive messages, not naïve (I won’t spoil it either, but it is useful for everyone), for its graphical qualities (obviously), its humor, its diversity, its morality, and, eventually, its joie de vivre. Even if there are some rumbling cobble stones here or there, I think this movie is going as nicely as an ATV of the Zootopia Police Department an afternoon in a sunny avenue.
And, yeah, it’s a great compliment. \o/
I saw Zootopia. Damn.
So, so, so. I can’t really talk about it like that, without telling anything else. It’s been a long time that I waited for this movie, like a lot of us around here, I suppose; since the announcement of its concept. I won’t drag on over an autobiography, but my interest for other species than ours, and my taste for multispecies worlds and stories, bring me many times (not to say, “always”) to read, write, or imagine societies where cohabit a lot of different beasts.
Why is that so important to me? (Beside the fact we all assume it is utterly cool?) Because I consider that thinking about multispecies societies, wondering what would we do, and figuring out stories in these worlds remind us each second about altruism, about respect of the other behind the physical differences, and, above all, it remind us our essential equality, which takes its source in the very fact we are all people – or, if you allow me to be inaccurate in English in order to be more accurate in my French thoughts, the very fact that we are all persons. Thinking about living with other species, it’s forgetting for one moment that we are humans, and considering that there is something else than biology or taxonomic criteria that gather us : it’s our existence as thinking, sensitive, sapient, and free beings.
So, yeah, seeing my values, my tastes when it comes to imagination, and what and who I am, I couldn’t wait, I was anxious to see this movie. Without speaking about the fact that Disney, as the greatest of the “for young and old alike” animation studios, isn’t at its first try about putting on stage anthropomorphic animals. Yeah, “furries”.
To be true, as soon as I came out of the movies, I was satisfied. I wasn’t fulfilled, but, eventually, satisfied.
Now that I’m writing these lines and that I am reflecting about it, I can say that I am fulfilled by this movie in many points, and enough to make me forget the two-or-three defaults which remain. My rating indeed has grew about 0.5 point more during the writing of this opinion. (Which is a lot since I’m rating on a scale of 5. Just to say.)
First, the main good points, without real surprise (but which are always relieving when you see them calling present).
The animation is perfect, really well done and all the more astounding. Maybe as not remarking as in The Good Dinosaur (which was the most beautiful movie I have ever seen, visually speaking), but Disney Animation Studios always fill us with colors and fluidity, and keeps on proving their master class.
The main characters (who are opposed-by-everything-oh-god-it’s-a-buddy-movie-wow) are very well introduced to my mind, and, consequently, very cute and touching. It pleases me to find here a heroine (not a princess in any way, plz), and, I say, really likeable, of a good realistic nature, and who would almost make us feel like doing like her. Juddy Hopps (that’s her name) and Nick Wilde (the adorable fox that get along her despite himself) end up building a duo which rocks to my mind, their relationship evolving right until the last moments of the movie. So, I really have no hole to pick in these, and I will just say “Youhou”.
Then, the few disappointments (a negative point becomes disappointment as soon as the movie was desired, right?)
I’m a bit disappointed by Michael Giacchino’s music, in a way that no musical theme is really remarkable or sticks to the mind when you come out. I find it too bad seeing how this composer is talented and how many pieces of music he had been able to put in our heads. This said, Shakira’s song “Try Everything” is cool enough to my mind, and, even if it’s a bit “hey look we have Shakira”, the song is worth it: it’s a song which belongs to Zootopia society, and Juddy listens to it as we would do to motivate us – so, technically, it is completely legit. Ah, yes, now I’m thinking about it, the first ending titles deserve a good point, because I found them as well brought-in and integrated to the story as the song in itself.
Other negative points for me are some predictable scenario elements, in the way that many times I have found it possible to guess what was about to happen a few seconds just before it comes true. The great lines of the scenario aren’t obvious, so it’s nice, but some of its elements are a bit forced into the flow of events (you’ll be judge), and can spoil some seconds of suspense or scenario on the moment. The movie antagonist also bears one of this nasty inclinations to not appear enough on screen as the bad guy, in order that we would remember him if he did. Thing that is, well… I don’t know. :v At least, it doesn’t help its antagonism. Hm.
Now, the good surprises. If there are some flaws to the scenario, I have found it generally well rhythmed – maybe a bit too well rhythmed sometimes, with for example with a slight abuse of scenes like “the characters keeps on talking in off while we move to another scene”, but it’s nothing –, and, above all, the gist of the scenario is really perfect according to me. (I won’t spoil you; don’t watch the latest trailer though, it might spoil you some elements.) The scenario, by mixing effectively a police investigation and the very reason of the existence of this movie, allows the scenarists to build the movie a strong message, from A to Z; wearing strong values, more than vital to our life in society to my mind, this society being human or not.
Because, finally, there is the point I wanted to make.
The most important in this animated movie, what makes me clearly love it, and what, ultimately, makes me forget the few flaws I was finding in it, it is its intention. Morale or level of reading are often strong points in the Disney movies, and are generally the only arguments to support to encourage parents to come this movie too. But here, Zootopia, telling us about an entire society, analyzes our societies – not only American society (well, yeah, more or less, looking at you, doughnuts), but our human societies in general, everything they imply, and even(tually) the very idea of what a society is. This movie tells us about a multitude of society matters, from discrimination, prejudices, racism, to atavism, feminism, or the glass-ceiling problem… And, in the same time, in a realistic way, this movie defends notions of courage, of willingness to become what we want to be, and the respect of the others. So, yeah. To my mind, this movie succeeds in encapsulating a lot of the benefits that I find to imagine a society full of different species. And, like this city, Zootopia, this movie is anchored in our modern world more than ever, diffusing values extremely important for today – would it be for the young little girls’ dreams, or for some old, nearly xenophobic parents seeing nowadays events. It’s, really, the strongest point of this movie, and what made me, eventually, loves it a lot.
…And this, despite the main default that I have found in it, and which ultimately revealed itself to be another quality; on another plan.
I took first this feeling for an “A movie that gave us what he promised us” feel, or an “A movie that doesn’t go farther” feel (this last is extremely wrong in definitive, seeing the formidable morale it offers us). But this feeling is actually a feeling of “we want more”. Multi-species, imaginary universes are fascinating because they are limitless, and they open the door to so many scenarios and relationships possibilities that they almost have an endless potential. Besides the mere fact I love them, that’s why I work with such universes, and why I am not about to stop.
It’s in some way the problem but also the quality of the universe which is offered to us here: damn, it is so big, so fertile! So many species (although there are only mammals in this movie, sorry (I found it too bad too first)), so many districts, so many inventions, so many possible stories in such world… Just look at all the stories we have around here, and we all know how much there is to tell! So many subjects, so many matters – even the movie directors agree on saying that they weren’t able to show us in this movie all that they have imagined, from subterranean district for nocturnal animals to islands artificially created for the marina fauna. So many things I would have liked to see and which are to be told, and only 1 hour and 45 minutes – yes indeed, I would have expected to be slightly disappointed. But now I’m realizing all of this, I see this point as a flaw merely coming from the successes of this movie: giving us a universe so dense and so substantial that we would love to see more of it and discover always more. So, yeah, I am more than okay to see Zootopia again, but above all, I would be in complete bliss if they announce a sequel, or, even better, sequels… Because, there is so much to imagine!
To conclude, I will add one more thing, globally summing up this movie, its values, and its universe to my mind: it’s a movie that gives (me) the right feels and puts (you) in very good mood. Because of its positive messages, not naïve (I won’t spoil it either, but it is useful for everyone), for its graphical qualities (obviously), its humor, its diversity, its morality, and, eventually, its joie de vivre. Even if there are some rumbling cobble stones here or there, I think this movie is going as nicely as an ATV of the Zootopia Police Department an afternoon in a sunny avenue.
And, yeah, it’s a great compliment. \o/
Gotta love profound titles like this journal's ^^. It sure would offer some different perspectives if we had multiple sapient species cohabiting on Earth. And we don't even need to look into outer space for that. Do you have an interest in dolphins? From what is known now, there's probably no intelligence difference between dolphins and prehistoric humans (who were genetically identical to modern homo sapiens). Interspecies communication really needs to be a bigger thing.
Hehe, thanks ^^" Oh, I didn't know they were that smart :o Yeah, I totally agree, really need to be bigger !
Did you knew that in India, cetaceans (or maybe just dolphins, not sure) were declared as non-human people by law? Quite impressive, for a country that is rather backwards about other social issues.