Ccritically acclaimed cinematic masterpiece "Zootopia"

The critically acclaimed cinematic masterpiece "Zootopia," directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, and Jared Bush in 2016, attacks prejudiced, racist ideals while maintaining amicable characters and a child-friendly plot. The two main characters, Judy Hopps, played by Ginnefer Goodwin, and Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, share a somewhat stereotypical, albeit unlikely relationship. They fall into the good cop, bad cop routine, but their relationship transcends this overdone role. They may share opposite personalities, but this does not harm their relationship. Instead of driving each other away with their conflicting values and backgrounds, they grow to depend on each other and learn to overcome their assigned roles. This film flawlessly teaches children that they are strong enough to take control of their futures and overcome any prejudice to achieve their goal. This lesson is undoubtedly worth the 150 million dollar budget of this film.

The anti-racist themes are thinly veiled, making it explicitly clear for even a child to understand that the predators (people of color) and prey (Caucasians), despite being all animals (humans), are forced to suffer due to historical incidents, mistrust, fear, and blinding stereotypes. The film cleverly portrays predators as much larger creatures with exaggerated, threatening features. The young target audience is naturally made weary by these frightening looking characters, but they are later drawn in by their warm smiles and unique personalities. The audience is made to share Hopps' perspective as she discovers her own strength and courage in the face of the predators who are not nearly as horrific as they first appear to be. The mayor is not a monster simply because he towers over her small frame, assistant mayor Bellwether is not innocent because of her innocent appearance and snow-white fur, and Nick Wilde exceeds the expectations of a sly fox by becoming a law-abiding citizen and fulfilling his childhood dream. The characters are made real by their hopeful ambitions and fears that reflect the attitudes of today's society. This realism makes children, and adults, relate to their struggles and have a near personal investment in their outcome.

The relationship fostered by the film between the characters and audience inspires children to pursue their dreams. Despite Officer Hopps being a small woman from a small town, she overcomes her personal insecurities in order to accomplish her dream. The directors of this film envisioned her as a character with many child-like qualities, such as small stature and innocence. They wanted her to be a powerful role model, and they succeeded in this. From having the courage to trust her partner and pursue her career to having the mental and physical strength necessary to protect herself and those she cares for, Hopps is a feminist masterpiece that will inspire generations of young females to pursue traditionally male-dominated careers. Wilde, an equally encouraging protagonist, will surely inspire children of color to rebel against racist ideals and develop their own dreams. These characters prompt children to take action and begin realizing that they are capable of anything if they work hard like Hopps and Wilde.

The most ingenious aspect of the film is that despite portraying such influential and controversial themes, the movie remains simple enough for children to comprehend it's most basic meaning. They do not need to analyze each component of the film to fully understand and enjoy it. The main message of the film does not become diluted by the soft fur and the expressive faces of the friendly characters; rather, their appearance enhances their charming nature and captivates the audience. It is through these lovable characters that children are taught to dispel racial and sexist prejudices and are motivated to accomplish their dreams. This film has received stellar reviews and has earned 1.023 billion dollars in the box office, and I believe that it has solidified it's position as an admired Disney classic, and will remain so for many years to come.

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