By skyforbes 
Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Idris Elba, Quinta Brunson, Jenny Slate, Brenda Song, Dwayne Johnson, Shakira, Andy Samberg, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Jean Reno, Macauley Culkin, Alan Tudyk, John Leguizamo, Josh Gad, Danny Trejo
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Metacritic: 75 / 100
Some Reviews:
RogerEbert – Nell Minow – 4 / 4
The details are dazzling, rewarding repeat viewings. Disney magic radiates from every texture and movement, and a near-vertiginous sense of space and momentum. There are car chases through the streets and one where characters travel by Tube, not as in the London Underground but as in a miles-long, water-filled tube, and it’s all visually dazzling.
The Independent – Clarisse Loughrey – 4 / 5
Zootropolis 2 reframes the original’s metaphor for racism in a sounder, more thought-out way. In the first, the wave of fear and discrimination against predators like Nick was given material justification in the fact predators like Nick had been repeatedly attacking people (only under the influence of psychotropic substances). Some of the broad strokes of are the same as the first movie, with the same contractually obliged reappearances from Flash Slothmore (Raymond S Persi), Gazelle (Shakira), and the Shrewfather himself, Mr Big (Maurice LaMarche). Yet, there’s more than enough of a change of scenery to never feel like we’re watching a dog chase its own tail, and an endless supply of visual jokes and references. A disgruntled rodent will appear to jostle any cans stuck in the vending machine; in the Louisiana-flavoured Marsh Market, there are jazz-slinging lizards and sea lions easily offended by the term “seal”.
Flix – Nathan Swank – 3.5 / 5
ZOOTOPIA 2 might be one of the funniest films of the year. The adults were laughing as much as the kids and not because of some inappropriate innuendos, but rather witty references to recognizable life situations. Judy Hopps receives a text from her dad that is identical to what I receive on a daily basis from my supportive, aging parents. Background jokes of cleverly named animal themed versions of popular movies, the same pig character getting drinks spilled on him at a party, or a simple yo mama joke keeps everyone engaged and laughing. ZOOTOPIA 2 proves that the old R-rated, comedic buddy cop formula can easily transition for the PG-family friendly crowd to great success.
Ultimately, the sequel delivers on its message to tell the truth about historical events, fight for one’s beliefs and stand up to power and money. The climax that reflects debates about identity, official cover ups and who controls a narrative. Hilarious nods to Disney animation films like Ratatouille and the return of favorite faces — like Shakira’s Gazelle with a catchy new tune “Zoo” — from the first film bring humor and fun to a story of justice and embracing differences. And if that post-credit scene is anything to go by, there may be hope for a third film that takes viewers into a previously unexplored realm.
Slant Magazine – Derek Smith – 3 / 4
Bush’s screenplay both effortlessly and elegantly weaves Judy and Nick’s personal drama into this larger story about the importance, and difficulty, of exposing widespread corruption and historical erasure. Advocating for the importance of individual action in the face of bigotry codified into law, Zootopia 2 provides plenty of food for thought for its young audience, making a more expansive statement on the dangers of intolerance than the first film, and without sacrificing any of its charm, humor, or visual ingenuity along the way.
AttractionsMagazine – Mateo Osorio – 4 / 5
Not only is the movie extremely entertaining but as Disney movies used to be known for, very moving as well. The relationship between Nick (Jason Bateman) and Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) tugs on the heartstrings of fans of the duo, but the star of the show in my eyes is the social commentary this movie touches on. I can’t dive too deep into that without giving away big plot spoilers, but I will say that “Zootopia 2” has some of the most relevant messaging in an animated movie from the 2020s so far. Disney does such an amazing job at writing real-world issues in a way that families can enjoy without worrying that it might be too much for their little ones.
Next Best Picture – Dan Bayer – 8 / 10
“Zootopia 2“ is a marvel of modern animated storytelling, a family film that really will have everyone in the family laughing, singing (in the case of the earworm “Zoo,“ sung by Shakira’s Zootopian pop star Gazelle), and perhaps even crying together.
The Guardian – Peter Bradshaw – 2 / 5
There are a few laughs in Z2: of course there are. But they are algorithmically generated and corporately approved. It’s the kind of movie you put on an iPad to keep the children quiet on a long plane or train journey; nothing wrong with that of course, but the heart and soul are lacking.
Seattle Times – Soren Anderson – 2.5 / 4
The sweetness in the original is absent in the sequel. The players, including Judy and Nick, have an edge to them. Maybe that’s to be expected in that the main characters are now more settled in their parts, but there’s a sharpness in tone that makes them hard to warm up to.
AV Club – Caroline Siede – 'B-'
Zootopia 2 is a stagnant sequel with one stellar subplot. As family entertainment, it’s all perfectly fine. There are plenty of callbacks to the original to delight young fans (including a catchy new song from Shakira’s Gazelle) and plenty of knowing jokes for the adults in the audience. A sequel of this magnitude has the ability to reach higher, though, with more creative worldbuilding balancing out the dime-a-dozen pop culture references and cheap gags. Given that a post-credits scene hints a third installment may be on the horizon, Disney is clearly still invested in Zootopia as a franchise. Hopefully it can remain invested in its artistic evolution too.