Richard Crouse: ‘Zootopia 2’ may be the first children’s film about gentrification

This image released by Disney shows Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman, left, and Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, in a scene from 'Zootopia 2.' (Disney)

“Zootopia 2″ picks up immediately after the events of the first film, the 2016 Oscar Award-winning animated hit “Zootopia,” as the action takes place in the titular city, a big bustling metropolis run by the mammal descendants of the city’s founder, Ebeneezer Lynxley.

Fresh off solving a career-making conspiracy case, the eager police officer rabbit Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and fox-con-artist-turned-cop Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are stumbling all over themselves to convince Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), their cape buffalo chief of police, that they aren’t one-trick-ponies ... or foxes or rabbits.

“Some are questioning whether you should be partners in the first place,” Bogo tells them.

When Judy finds a piece of snakeskin, a rarity in a place where mammals don’t trust reptiles, she’s thinks it’s the first clue in her next big case.

With a reluctant Nick by her side, Judy tries to discover why pit viper Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan) is back in town, why there’s no snakes in Zootopia and why everyone wants to get their paws on a mysterious old book that predates the town.

A mishmash of puns, old-school movie references and action delivered at supersonic speed, “Zootopia 2” threatens to careen out of control, but strays on track to deliver a family friendly crime caper with plenty of laughs and heart.

Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard — working from a script by Bush — lay it on thick for all members of the family. It’s probably the first kid’s flick about gentrification, which will likely fly over the heads of the younger set, but the vibrant animation and frenetic action should keep kids entertained while adults will catch the endless puns — Gnu Jersey anyone? — and call backs to “Ratatouille,” “The Godfather,” “Silence of the Lambs” and the original movie, among others.

It makes for a densely packed, candy-coloured confection that lacks the cleverness of the original film, but still delivers a fun, although sometimes repetitive, experience for all ages.

3 1/2 stars out of 5