Zootopia, I believe, is destined to be the current generation’s defining animated feature. The story itself is above average with some wonderful dialogue, but he real achievement here is the animation and the universe it creates. The animation is absolutely stunning, the kind of hallmark that future animated movies will be compared against. The world of Zootopia draws you in right from the start, and by the point of a fantastic train ride sequence, I was hooked. The world had drawn me in.

This is, in part, accomplished by a very successful incorporation of 3D, adding depth where needed and providing an immersive effect that draws you in rather than resorting to the overdone and unnecessary typical 3D use of throwing things at your face. I usually hesitant to watch movies in 3D because of this, but studios are starting to use it’s true benefit more effectively and I would recommend seeing this in 3D if you have the chance.

Since most of you are familiar with it, I won’t get into the plot too much. The story doesn’t have the emotional weight of films such as UP or WALL-E, or take a lot of risks, but it still provides a broad appeal while smartly tackling issues such as racism, women’s rights, the privileged vs the masses, and judging people unfairly, without ever resorting to being preachy about it. I encourage you to watch the movie with an open mind and consider all of the implications it addresses.

Those of you that have watched the trailers will likely pick up on a plot device early in the movie, and the villain is fairly well telegraphed, but these are minor nitpicks. I was grateful to find that the corny animal puns were mostly shown in the trailers and the remaining ones were mostly background sight gags. The story never delved into all out cheese, keeping you centered on the characters and their story. The voice acting was also on point, particularly with the two leads (Jason Bateman really shines, providing a sly wit, but with enough hint of hearth and vulnerability) and a minor, but memorable role by Octavia Spencer as Mrs Otterton, introduced in one of my favorite scenes from the movie. In the end, I ultimately felt like I was watching a classic buddy cop or detective movie. At times I honestly forgot that I was watching an animated movie and not just a movie, despite the abundance of paws and tails.

In the end, I found myself wanting more. More Zootopia. More of this fantastic world that I had been introduced to. I saw the world with as much hope and awe as Judy, when she first sees the city, and I want to explore every inch, every crevice. I can only hope there is more to come in the future for this world Disney has created, and it will be treated with the continued quality it deserves, because I really do want to “Try Everything”. In 20 years I expect we will be looking at this the same way as The Lion King, Toy Story and other films that completely redefined for us what an animated movie can be.