Disney’s animated arm wrestles with race relations. Here, that means predators and prey: formerly enemies (the film requires you to resist any temptation to use the modifier “natural”), they have now evolved to the point of living as peaceful neighbors in an urban metropolis. Of course, out in the sticks, things aren’t so progressive, as an early dustup between a fox and a rabbit indicates. The rabbit in question is Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), our heroine: a rookie cop who hopes to “make the world a better place.” Judy doggedly strives to prove that she is “not some token bunny,” but rather, living proof that in Zootopia, “anyone can be anything.” Cue the contrarian fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who infuriatingly insists that “you can only be what you are.” But when predators start “going savage,” the question of exactly what constitutes “what you are” gets fraught. Might there be a…biological component? (My, Grandma, what big sharp teeth you have…) Byron Howard and Rich Moore share directing credits along with co-director Jared Bush, but that’s nothing compared to the ten (ten!) names attached to the story and screenplay. The result is a buddy-cop comedy crossed with a political thriller and mashed up against a social drama. It’s a credit to Disney’s collaborative process that the whole thing manages to hold together as well as it does. But even so, you may notice a few sags and stretched seams. Also, some sharply protruding points. And if you don’t, there’s a helpful sermon at the end for anyone who got distracted by the animal gags and snappy patter. (2016) — Matthew Lickona
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