Zootopia 2 tackles inherited fear, cultural myths and who gets written out of history — all through the eyes of a single fanged underdog.
Zootopia 2: The Snaky Path To Greatness |
Zootopia 2 blends animal puns, political fables and sly humour to attempt the near-impossible — giving snakes the redemption arc history denied them. Rahul Desai reviews.
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OF ALL THE DISNEY MOVIES over the years with PG-13 racial metaphors and diversity parables, Zootopia 2 faces the most uphill battle there ever was. For it takes on the task of doing the near-impossible: the destigmatisation of Snakes. The fear and distrust of this reptile is so historically and genetically entrenched in human systems that the real-world subtext is almost secondary. In Zootopia 2, the unlikely police pairing of hyper-rabbit Judy Hopps and red fox Nick Wilde try their darndest to unscramble snake propaganda — a pit viper named Gary De’Snake emerges in the mainland, and everyone is terrorised. Except Judy, who trusts that the snake is the good guy whose ‘people’ have been maligned by the ruling family of lynxes. Gary wants to prove that the land was theirs to begin with (duh), and the patent was stolen by the sly lynxes. History students, unite. Your pop culture fix awaits on OTTplay, for only Rs 149 per month. Grab this limited-time offer now! |
But you know, the symbolism and all can wait. The cutesy oppression and colonisation messages can wait. The surrogate education can wait. The film is asking us to suddenly like…snakes? It’s setting out to undo decades and centuries of conditioning and tell us that the slimy little reptiles are innocent and noble? It’s an incredibly difficult theme for an animated movie. And I like how Zootopia 2 uses layers and layers of visual wit, linguistic gags and animal puns to sell us the ultimate image makeover. I’m worried that it’s effective enough to make thousands of children go to a snake pit in the coming weeks and coochie-coo the little critters; even the snakes will be confused, their venom will have an identity crisis. |
Adults know better, of course. I did soften towards Gary and his single-fanged face, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to look sympathetically and play with the next viper I see. No chance. Even though poor Gary really does do the job, I like how the gaze with which he’s seen in society is still frightening, until he actually speaks. I admire the film’s ambition so much that the general Zootopia coolth — all the chasing and plotting and funny characterisations and twists — is merely ornamental. Even the sloth driving a Ferrari, genius of course, but it pales in comparison to the stakes of needing to like a snake. Or not be icky about them. Or believe that Gary carries an anti-venom injection with him because it’s just in his nature to accidentally bite others. Not his fault, you see. ALSO READ | Zootopia 2: Everything you need to know about Zootopia before you watch the billion-dollar sequel |
That’s the power of fables, though. The premise could apply to so many racists and institutional fascists who go to great lengths to erase the ‘other’ from history itself; god knows a politically aware Indian moviegoer can relate right now. The physicality is a joyous ruse, but Zootopia 2 also ensures it’s not trivial. It does not sacrifice the gravity of its commentary at the altar of non-stop humour. It indulges in a bit of cinematic drama towards the end, a fair bit of whimsy, and uses the central rabbit-fox partnership as an effective prism to reflect its light. I like that their bond remains platonic, or at least seems like it does, despite the very obvious inter-species chemistry at play. It’s tempting to use romance as a ploy to soften young hearts, but the decision to put their compatibility down to friendship and social identity is a good one. Interfaith solidarity is the real deal, but just forbidden love. There’s a poignant little exchange between them at the end, and it’s so ‘current’ in terms of the franchise’s normalisation of heavy, difficult emotions that it’s impossible not to be moved. |
All of which is to say that Zootopia 2 has an old soul in a young body — it expresses a grown-up stillness through its chaos. All the colour and volume of innuendo can get a bit much, but there’s always a pause around the corner. There’s always an acknowledgement that, beyond our perception of reptilian intent and post-truth legacies, even the idea of utopia requires repair. If a bunny and a fox can put aside their personality differences and egos to defang the world, maybe the word “humanise” has been the slur all along. In a sense, the film reminded me of the underappreciated Bollywood movie Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000), where an unlikely pair of flashy journalists set out to clear the name of a supposed terrorist in Mumbai. They, too, get implicated and go on the run with him, refusing to quit until they expose the cultural conspiracy. Quarter of a century later, the medium, form and social intonations might be different, but the language hasn’t changed. It’s just more animated. I wonder what that says about the snakes we avoid and the ladders we climb. Psst...The 2016 film Zootopia is streaming on JioHotstar, now available with your OTTplay Premium subscription. Watch the film here. |
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