'Zootopia' is well-crafted, intelligent, and entertaining

I'll admit that, when I first started hearing about Zootopia, my hopes weren't very high.  Disney making a film consisting entirely of anthropomorphized animals is not a new concept for them, and it's resulted in movies both good (Robin Hood) and bad (Chicken Little).  The advertising did little to sway me, with mostly unimpressive jokes being showcased and nothing indicating that there would be anything original or smart to the film.

This is a case where I was very happy that my expectations were wrong.  I walked out of Zootopia not just feeling entertained, but in some ways shocked.  This turned out to be one of the smartest major animated films I've seen in years, but doesn't do it in a way that will alienate the younger family members Disney cartoons typically draw.  There are still a few drawbacks that prevent it from being a straight-up classic in my book, but it was honestly delightful how much the movie impressed me.

The prologue quickly and humorously sets up the fictional animals-only world, establishing that all the individual species have evolved from their traditional wild behavior to be civilized and cooperative, with predators and prey alike living in peace.  Enthusiastic rabbit Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) has grown up desiring nothing more than to make a difference in the world by becoming a cop, despite skepticism from everyone she knows who doubt a tiny bunny can be effective in law enforcement. 

Judy eventually defies the odds and lands a job in the titular city of Zootopia as the first officer of her species, but it's clear from the start that her grizzled ox chief (Idris Elba, getting to make use of his natural British accent) is dismissive of her, starting her off as a meter maid.  While on duty, she encounters Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a street smart fox who makes a living as a con artist.  While Judy is initially unable to get the best of Nick, she is later able to convince the chief to let her investigate the latest in a string of missing animal cases, and tricks Nick into helping her upon realizing he's linked to the victim.  From there, the two visit various distinct districts of the city, learn more about each other, and uncover a threat bigger than they ever expected.

One of the most interesting aspects of Zootopia is the genre classifications it falls into, some of which are uncommon in Disney and animation in general.  You certainly get a lot of expected jokes and plot points based on the unique characteristics of certain species, but Nick and Judy's partnership has echoes of a buddy cop film, and the ever-expanding mystery they're solving results in the closest thing to a cartoon noir since Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  It certainly helps that the leads are entertaining and play off each other great, with good voice acting, animation, and character growth to boot.

Let's get the big thing other reviews have stressed out of the way.  Perhaps the most surprising and impressive aspect of Zootopia's story is the racial subtext.  The film's prologue has characters stressing how the evolved animals have evolved and put their longtime fears and prejudices of certain species aside, but Judy is shunned by her superiors due to her being a smaller and weaker animal, and one of the key factors in Nick's past and present is how people view foxes as untrustworthy.  Even the main threat introduced in the second half goes against the friendly, anthropomorphized characters both conceptually and visually, complete with the villain's motivations driven by prejudice.

It's to the film's credit that this aspect never feels too preachy nor understated, and is executed in a way substantial enough to work for adults and accessible enough to work for kids.  The film does little to sugarcoat this aspect, too, with a flashback sequence showcasing just how nasty prejudices can get, and a general feeling that people will always have built-in views of others based on their race and background, but it's up to individuals to prove those thoughts wrong.  The only issue I ended up having from all this is that it made the absence of minority voice actors for the main cast (Outside of Elba and Shakira in a superfluous background role) all the more odd.

I've noticed that some of Disney's more recent films have had the prerogative of fessing up to the unrealistic plot beats and morals of their older work.  The Princess and the Frog took the wishing on a star cliche and firmly established that its heroine only fulfilled her dream by heavily committing to years of hard work, and Frozen had characters immediately calling out one of its princess leads for getting engaged to a man she barely knew.  Zootopia's overall tone in terms of how its characters view and treat each other is along the same lines, though it feels more like a huge reality check than Disney poking fun at itself (Though there's plenty of that when it comes to individual jokes, but I won't spoil those).

Outside of the core story, Zootopia has many other merits.  The animals are appealingly designed and animated, and the idea of the city being split into distinct districts, like a rainforest full of treehouses and a miniature town for mice where Judy looks gigantic, is great.  The pacing is also marvelous.  The movie reached a point where I assumed it was at least 2/3 through, but when I checked my watch, I realized it was only at the halfway point, yet there was no feeling of dragging at all.  It's nearly impossible for me to find a movie capable of that.

Now that I've listed my praises, it's time to be more critical, because there is a big thing that holds me back from considering this a pure classic, and that's the humor.  There are next to no jokes that fell flat for me, and I got many chuckles, but compared to other animated films, it's certainly lacking in the big laughs department.  The scene with the sloths at the DMV that's been all over the trailers and ads is indeed hysterical, but it's the exception to the rule, and many have already had some of the impact robbed by seeing it beforehand.  If Disney had been willing to commit to a more purely drama-driven film, this would have been a lesser issue, but as is, this aspect feels like one that wasn't a home run the way other parts were.

The climax to the film also feels unsatisfying.  Disney seems to have committed to not properly revealing the villain in their movies until the last act since Wreck-It Ralph and especially Frozen's infamous twist, but it's less shocking here as a result, especially considering that there weren't many characters who could be the villain as well as the culprit's relatively limited screen time beforehand.  I'm definitely ready for Disney to go back to the Jafar or Ursula template and give us a great villain from the start.

Also, without going into spoilers, the climax ends very abruptly.  There's a decent action scene that still feels like the best is being saved for what comes afterwards, then a moment with Nick and Judy trapped in a bad situation by the villain.  Most movies would have them figure a way out then have a big showdown, but the moment they have a solution to this predicament, things are wrapped up in an instant.  Frozen and Big Hero 6 had climaxes that offered good buildup, spectacle, and emotional resonance, and it's a shame that this couldn't follow suit.

Spending three paragraphs discussing my big problems of the film may sound very harsh, but considering that this is already one of my longer reviews and I've had nothing but praise otherwise, I think it's a fair assessment.  Zootopia is still a true achievement for Disney in terms of storytelling and both writing and art direction, with a timely subtext and some genre elements I haven't seen in mainstream animation for ages.  This is one of those animated films that truly can appeal to anyone.

Final score: A high 8 out of 10

'Deadpool' is unashamedly dirty and clever comic book fun

Comic book movies have never been as prolific or numerous as this current Hollywood climate, and while we've definitely gotten many terrific titles out of it, a growing and certainly valid complaint is that it's becoming harder to find movies that feel truly unique and original, especially considering how much the Marvel Cinematic Universe collection of franchises generally stick to the same tone and style.

As a result, one of the biggest praises Deadpool has received is what a breath of fresh air it is in terms of presentation and tone.  It's raunchy, ridiculous, and unorthodox in many of its storytelling and presentation elements. Thankfully, the film handles these factors in a way that works to its favor, bolstered by great casting and faithfulness to the best aspects of its source material.  There are still some problems that prevent it from matching the best Marvel films in my book, but I still can't deny its enjoyment factor.

The story centers around Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds, who also served as one of the producers), a for-hire New York mercenary with good looks but few moral standards.  He falls for Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin of Homeland and Firefly fame), a gorgeous escort at his local bar who has a similarly dirty mentality, but on the day he finally decides to propose to her, he discovers that he's in the late stages of terminal cancer.

Desperate, Wilson volunteers for an experimental program headed by the shady Francis Freeman (Ed Skrein), as it claims to awaken superpowers in its test subjects as well as healing abilities.  Ultimately, Freeman and company have sinister intentions, and Wilson ends up an unwilling prisoner, resulting in his cancer being cured and him developing advanced healing capabilities, but at the expense of scars and disfiguring all over his body.  While he ultimately escapes, he's hesitant to return to Vanessa due to his appearance, and ultimately decides to focus on getting revenge on his captors under the alias of the masked fighter Deadpool.

The plot's execution is a bit more unorthodox than most action films, as the opening starts in medias res with Deadpool taking on Freeman's thugs, and chooses to alternate between the origin story and present day material throughout the first half. This approach was likely taken to get to the action faster and keep the film from feeling slow, but I found it jarring, especially considering the jokey and frenetic tone of the Deadpool portions and the moodier tone of the Wade Wilson story.  Considering how many other good superhero movies pull off linear origin stories just fine, I wish this film had taken that approach.

Still, Deadpool really nails the feel of pure fun it's clearly aiming for, due to a combination of various elements.  One of the key elements of the source material is that Deadpool is one of the only Marvel characters who's capable of breaking the fourth wall, as he's aware that he's a comic book character and addresses cliches of the medium and even the readers.  This carries over here, with Deadpool speaking to the audience both via narration and looking straight at the camera, even manually moving it offscreen when he considers what he's about to do to a villain too unpleasant to watch.  He also has a knack for pointing out cliches of the genre he's in - I think anyone who views this movie will consciously notice "superhero landings" from now on.

There's also the fact that, even though you root for Wilson, he never comes close to reforming into a genuinely good person.  His motivation is based purely on revenge, and he plays and talks dirty from beginning to end.  One of his earlier jokes has him state that while this is a superhero movie and he has superpowers, he's not a hero at all.  It's to the film crew's credit that I never encountered a spot where Deadpool veered into unlikable territory.

The film has an R rating that is well deserved, as Deadpool has a serious case of sailor mouth, blood flies freely in the action scenes, and the film's method of showing us Wilson and Vanessa bonding is providing a montage of them having sex during numerous holidays.  Other Marvel movies, while boasting PG-13 ratings, have generally been inoffensive and accessible for the 9-and-up crowd, but this is one that unassuming parents should seriously think twice about taking their kids to.

It's also worth noting that, as Fox made this and not Marvel Studios, this is apparently being considered a spinoff of the X-Men film franchise, complete with Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) playing a supporting role, a scene showing their home mansion, and nods to Wolverine and Professor X in some of the more meta jokes.  There are also some jabs at Reynolds' less successful comic book roles, including Green Lantern and a drastically altered version of Deadpool from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, sprinkled throughout.

Though I mentioned the plot shifts in the first half feeling jarring, the film's overall pace is solid, even during a spot two-thirds in when Deadpool has to recuperate for a bit before the final battle. I will say that, while the numerous gags sport few duds, I left wishing there had been more in the way of truly gut-busting and standout moments, rather than just consistent chuckles.  There are certainly some elements this does better than most other films (Without spoiling anything, this may have the best opening credits text I've ever seen), but this ends up being similar to films like The Revenant in that it feels consistently good with no huge peaks or valleys.

Fox definitely took a big risk with Deadpool, considering its focus on adults-only content in a genre loved by many age groups, but it's one that paid off, as the movie really runs with its insane nature and makes the most of it.  Both Ryan Reynolds and first-time director Tim Miller leave the impression that they wanted to make something unique and unashamed of itself, and it's to their credit that, for all the crassness and juvenile humor, the movie didn't feel excessive to me. A more conventional narrative structure and some truly outstanding individual moments would help elevate the already-confirmed sequel for me, but there's no denying that I had a great time with this film.

Final score: A high 7 out of 10

'Kung Fu Panda 3' is a fun trilogy capper

While we certainly have animated film franchises that have reached trilogy status, such as Shrek, Ice Age, and soon Despicable Me, the only one at this point that film critics generally agree was great all the way through is the Toy Story series.  Shrek and Ice Age lost a lot of goodwill with audiences due to lousy later entries, but from my point of view, Toy Story is a series that actually seemed to get better as it progressed, expanding on its characters and ideas in both funny and emotional ways.

Kung Fu Panda 3 may finally cement Dreamworks' popular series as the second animated trilogy where all three entries are genuinely good.  It still has some drawbacks that ultimately prevent it from completely reaching the standards of its predecessors, but it retains many of the series qualities in both its writing and direction, and feels like a genuine progression of the story rather than a rehash.

The titular panda Po (voiced by Jack Black) starts the film continuing to be both the heroic warrior and the excitable kid at heart audiences love him for, but is thrown for a loop when his longtime mentor Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) retires and appoints Po as the new teacher for his fellow warriors, hoping for him to learn the ins and outs of mentoring himself.

Things get even more complicated when Li Shan (Bryan Cranston), a visitor to the noodle shop of Po's longtime adoptive goose father Mr. Ping (James Hong) turns out to be Po's biological father, and he soon leaves his village to discover the hidden colony of pandas Li calls home, as well as learn more about his origins.  The fun is cut short, though, as the formidable ox warrior Kai (J.K. Simmons) has escaped from the afterlife and is bent on capturing the world's kung fu masters and creating an army from their chi, or spirit energy.  Po realizes he needs to learn more about chi if he wants to stand a chance, as well as figure out how to teach the village of clumsy pandas how to defend themselves.

The previous Kung Fu Panda films offered wonderful animation and art direction, and that tradition continues here, with smartly designed characters and environments, stylized angles and lighting at the right moments, and intricate fight scenes that take full advantage of the limitless camera opportunities 3D animation provides.  The film also does a good job of continuing to offer some witty and well-timed moments of humor (Though for some reason, the advertising for this series has always done a poor job of showcasing that aspect), especially in the first half.

However, there are some more noticeable flaws this time around.  The first two films did a great job with their villains, giving them tragic backstories that made them feel their actions were justified rather than being evil for no reason.  I was excited when I heard J.K. Simmons would be playing Kai, as anyone who saw Whiplash knows he's a great choice for intimidating villains, but the character barely registers here.  His backstory is flimsy, his personality is generic, and his screen time is limited.  The more supernatural approach he takes when fighting makes for some cool moments, but the character still feels like a missed opportunity.  The majority of the panda villagers are also mostly one-trick ponies, usually providing a recurring joke and little else.  Even ribbon dancer Mei Mei (Kate Hudson) doesn't develop or contribute much to the story, despite getting a lot of attention in promotional materials.

On the plus side, Li, the most important of the new characters, is handled great.  I went in assuming that, due to the casting of an actor best known for Walter White, he would be a no-nonsense and dull character, but he's lively, lovable, and plays off the leads wonderfully.  You can completely see Po being like him in a couple of decades, and it feels like Cranston had a ton of fun voicing the role.  I was also worried the film would make some bad decisions in terms of the relationship Po had with Mr. Ping with the discoveries here, but the growing relationship between the two fathers is handled well, and Ping actually ends up having his most prominent role in the series yet.

As far as the other big flaws go, while the first two films kept their momentum strong all the way through, I think the second half of this entry isn't as funny or clever as the first.  There's also a definite lack of hard-hitting emotional moments the prior entries were so good at (I'd cite Shifu's fight with Tai Lung in the first film and Po's flashback in the second film as the best examples of this), and the stakes don't feel as personal or important.  I will say that it's nice that the film found a way to bring back the long-departed character of Oogway in some scenes, and Shifu, my favorite character in the series, gets some more screen time here compared to the meager focus he received in the second entry.

These issues may make it sound like the film was a major disappointment for me, but I actually still ended up having a very good time.  Kids and families who don't prioritize these elements as much will have a wonderful time with Kung Fu Panda 3, those who love the effort put into animation will still have plenty to marvel at, and for all its flaws, the story feels like a genuine and natural progression rather than a retread.  I walked out of this far more satisfied than How to Train Your Dragon 2, which felt like it was just spinning its wheels for most of the story.

I will say that the series has been a case of diminishing returns for me at this point, as I loved the first, enjoyed the second slightly less, and this less than the second.  While the ending hardly does anything to wrap up the potential for more sequels, I do think it would be smart of Dreamworks to leave well enough alone at this point before things possibly get dire.  We don't need a modern-day Shrek the Third.

Final score: A high 7 out of 10