I am, and always have been a fan of Disney movies both classic and contemporary. Zootopia is one of Disney’s newer films released in 2016 about a rabbit named Judy Hopps who wants to become a police officer in the city of Zootopia. In a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, all of whom are stuck in the rigid categories of either “predator” or “prey” Judy faces a great deal of adversity on her quest to follow her dreams. For Disney’s target audience of children this is a great film conveying the classic theme of “anything is possible” through cute lovable animals in a cartoon utopian society — it’s practically in the name “Zootopia”. However, as I was a bit older when this movie came out it provided me with the unique opportunity to analyze the film through a real world lense that I had not experienced with the Disney movies of my childhood. By looking past the facade of cartoon talking animals it is clear that Disney is attempting a marxist criticism of our capitalist society, and the class system that we have as a result.
Throughout the film, the animals in society are grouped into two very distinct and separate categories: predator and prey. The predators in Zootopia are always in positions of power, both literally and figuratively. To highlight this is it important to look at the workforce in this fictional society. The mayor of Zootopia -the pinnacle of power- is a lion, the chief of police is a very large and muscular buffalo, and just about any other desirable job is occupied by a predator. In contrast, the prey hold what would be considered menial jobs in our society. For example Judy Hopps’ rabbit family are carrot farmers, and the mayor’s assistant Bellwether is a lamb; a direct juxtaposition to the mayor himself, the lion. It is easy to see that this fictional society of predator and prey is completely parallel to our own society comprised of the upper class and lower class, the rich and poor, and the haves and the have nots. Disney challenges this notion of classes through the protagonist Judy Hopps, who wants to become a police officer in Zootopia, a job no other “prey” has ever held. Judy succeeds in becoming a police officer, and this is the first time that we have seen any movement between the two “classes” in the movie, reaffirming to the children watching the classic motif that anything is possible. Disney goes further by portraying Judys’ friendship with the anti hero, a fox named Nick Wilde who is a con artist. Although Nick is a predator, he develops a great relationship with Judy as they work together to solve a mystery and save Zootopia. This relationship is a healthy portrayal of the two classes working together in a mutually beneficial way as Nick helps Judy solve the mystery, and Judy helps Nick wane out of his con artist ways to become a better person. Although the two classes mostly live peacefully side by side in the movie, this is the first time that we see them truly and totally integrated. The only way they can save Zootopia is by working together, and the fact that their relationship is so integral to the movie is significant. This junction and dynamic between the two classes is something that is rare in our own society, and Disney does a good job of challenging that concept in the film.
Not only does Zootopia challenge the class system, but it also provides a marxist look at some of the fundamental capitalist ideals in our society. Although the Zootopian society mirrors our own in many ways, there were some things that jumped out to me as clear statements on capitalism. The prime example of this is the Lemming Brothers Bank depicted in the film. The bankers are all lemmings (small rodents), portrayed all looking the exact same, in the exact same suit and tie. This is notable because in our capitalist society banking is a highly competitive and coveted career as they tend to make a lot of money. However, in Zootopia it appears that banking is not a desirable profession as it is occupied by prey, not predators; the lesser of the two classes. This is further supported by the total lack of individuality in which the lemmings are shown, all wearing the same thing, doing the same thing, and not even speaking. This is a comment on corporate America and Wall Street, and how many of those workers will do the same thing over and over again, whatever it takes to make the most money. In this way, it makes us question if those jobs truly desirable. The utopian society of Zootopia seems to think not as the whole plot is based around Judy Hopps’ dream to be a police officer of all things. In our own society, law enforcement jobs are middle class, with average wages. Certainly banking is considered “better” from a strictly capitalist viewpoint on what will earn you the most money. This suggests that money isn’t the driving factor in Zootopia, an idea that may be key to its utopian nature. Disney’s intent here is to highlight the hold our capitalist ideals have on us, and the negative effects they can have. If our own society wasn’t so fixated on wealth and fortune- capitalist ideals- then perhaps it would more resemble an ideal utopian society we see in Zootopia.
Although the very premise of Zootopia was set up to provide a marxist critique of capitalism and classism, there are certain aspects of the film that do the exact opposite. At the end of the movie we find out that the antagonist is the Mayor’s assistant, trying to take power as the new mayor of Zootopia. This is a step backwards for Disney because it villanizes the lower class, an anecdote we have seen time and time again. It supports many prejudices we have on the poor in our society: that they are dangerous, untrustworthy, and more likely to commit crimes. Not only does this serve to alienate the lower class or the prey, but it furthers the capitalist agenda that the movie actively tried to rebuke. The whole conflict is over the mayor’s assistant Bellwether who is a lamb trying to forcibly take power from the prey, or the upper class. Even if money is not a major driving factor in Zootopia we now see that power and jobs that provide power are still extremely desirable, and are still a motivator even in this seemingly “utopian” society. The fact that it is represented in the movie through a predator-prey dynamic highlights that it is part of our very nature, and is uncontrollable. Just as Judy Hopps can’t change the fact that she is a rabbit and is born into the lower class, we can’t change just how deeply rooted these capitalist ideals really are in our society. It suggests that it is part of our nature.
To the intended audience, Zootopia is a lighthearted film about a bunny following her dreams to break the status quo and become a police officer in the big city. However, the more I analyzed Zootopia the more it became clear that Disney was attempting a blatant marxist criticism of capitalism and classism in our own society. Although Zootopia is a definite attempt by Disney to break away from some of the older ideals of sexism, classism, and racism portrayed in their classic films, even the movie mogul falls short of a complete rebuke of capitalism in this fictional society. Through the very setup of the movie and the predator-prey dynamic, it is clear that capitalist ideals are so rooted in our society that we cannot escape them, even in a children’s movie about a talking bunny.
