Talking with kids about difference and stereotypes: Christian Parenting lessons from Zootropolis 2

Film: Zootropolis 2

Age rating: PG

Runtime: 108 minutes

See this if you liked: Zootropolis

Synopsis:

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are now partners in crime (well, stopping crime) but their partnership is not without its flaws. After a mission gone wrong, the two are forced to head into therapy to help their working dynamic. When a snake steals the original plans for Zootropolis and Hopps and Wilde are framed for helping them and must go on the run to clear their names and dig into the truth of Zootropolis’ origin.

What I liked:

The first Zootropolis (or Zootopia if you are in the States) is a masterpiece – full of wit, world building, clever mystery and great characters. This sequel is more of the same, which is absolutely no bad thing!

There are so many great puns, one liners and visual gags that it’s hard to keep track of them all

Jason Bateman does such a good job at delivering his lines, both the dry, sarcastic wit and the emotional beats. Equally, Ginnifer Goodwin is Judy Hopps and brings such enthusiasm and warmth that it’s hard not to root for the bunny cop.

New character, Gary de Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, is delightful too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a snake as cute before, but this is one cute snake.

There are so many great puns, one liners and visual gags that it’s hard to keep track of them all. I’m sure I missed several and am looking forward to a rewatch to see how many more of them I can spot (especially when Nick is scrolling through Huluzoo – Hamilton anyone?).

The movie is also very emotional – a couple of moments really pulled at my heartstrings

The mystery of the book that is stolen and what it means for Zootropolis keeps you on your toes, so many twists and turns, often putting our protagonists in extreme danger that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The movie is also very emotional – a couple of moments really pulled at my heartstrings. This might be because I strongly relate to Nick Wilde, he’s practically my animated fox counterpart, and when he begins to open up it was as if he was speaking from my heart.

What I didn’t like:

Whilst the sequel uses quite a lot of the original for inspiration and it might feel a little déjà vu (another Shakira/Gazelle song to close out the film, sure why not?), the movie doesn’t feel like a complete copy and paste of the first, balancing enough of the callbacks to the original with its own ideas that it gets away with following the structure of the first.

Notes for parents:

Not much to say other than there are a couple of dark moments, attempted murder and a few adult jokes that I imagine will be likely to fly over the heads of little ones.

Faith thoughts:

It’s funny how two films can come out within a week of each other and both have similar messages. First, Wicked: For Good (you can read my review of this here) and now Zootropolis 2 comes along to say the same thing (albeit with less singing…).

You may have not noticed but the first Zootropolis only contains mammals, not a reptile in sight. In this sequel, we find out why. In Zootropolis society, reptiles are outcasts – thought of as murderers and all around mistrustful. But, as Judy discovers, all is not as it seems and Gary de Snake is actually very kind and caring. He’s what we might call a ‘Good Samaritan’…

if I was to sum up what this movie is about in one word it would be ‘communication’

The first film is essentially about prejudice and how our stereotypical lenses can blind us to the good in those we might see as anything but. The sequel has the same message but this time around the lies that are perpetuated to reinforce those ideas (again, covering much of the same as Wicked: For Good).

In fact, if I was to sum up what this movie is about in one word it would be ‘communication’.

What we communicate to our children about individuals and groups of people will have a ripple effect. It can cause us to ostracise cultures and social groups without ever giving our young people and children a chance to make up their own mind. Jesus didn’t keep to his group; he talked to Jews and Gentiles alike. He talked to the oppressors and the oppressed, those in power and those outcast beyond the walls of the towns. His love was not contained by the societal structures or economic hierarchy. Instead, he purposely built relationships with those who others deemed as unworthy and mistrustful and saw beneath the layers of prejudice to the real people they were underneath.

It’s not just about what we communicate about others though that is important, open communication to one another is also key.

Read more:

Wicked: For Good helps Christian parents show their children no one is perfect 

3 ways Christian parents can use Stranger Things as a conversation starter 

Christian parents can usefully use KPop Demon Hunters to explore themes of idolatry and the Kingdom of God with their family

Nick and Judy realise they need to be more open in their feelings and motivations if they are to be able to work together as a team. How often do we get into scrapes because we aren’t being truthful about how we’re feeling or what we’re thinking? This isn’t just something we need to be modelling to our children and young people, but also in our relationship to God.

Jesus doesn’t hide his anxiety around his crucifixion; he sweats it out with God in the garden of Gethsemane. In the same way, our prayer life shouldn’t just be solely around saying pleasantries with the Lord, but we should be able to pour all our emotions into our prayer life – anger, frustration, disappointment, fear, confusion. If we teach our children that prayer is only for praise or repentance, we’re letting them miss out on what prayer really is. It’s a conversation with God. He doesn’t want us to wear a mask when we talk with him, he wants us to be real, to have real open dialogue. He knows all our thoughts and feelings; we don’t have to pretend around him.