So, I like Zootopia 2 better than the first one, and a big part of the reason why is how the writers used character continuity as a source of conflict.
Like a lot of people, I’m generally not a fan of when the two characters who got together at the end of the first movie are broken up/fighting in the sequel, but Nick and Judy actually pull this trope off really well. Rather than manufacture drama like “they’ve gotten bored of each other” or “one of them did something the other didn’t like so they dumped them”, the writers further built on the characters’ already established habits and behaviors to develop their story.
To demonstrate how the filmmakers did this, I first need to explain what my parents call the Inversion Game. My parents used to run marriage retreats (vacations specifically geared to help couples who may be having marital difficulties or just want to work on their relationship), and would use the Inversion Game to teach that the behaviors a person fell in love with are the same behaviors that drive that person crazy, and vice versa. For example, a spouse who says “I love how spontaneous my partner is, they make every day an adventure”, will also be a spouse that says “my partner is so erratic, they can’t commit to a plan”. Or a partner who says something like “my partner is always super focused on work, they never make time for me” will also find themselves saying “my spouse works so hard to support and provide for us”. The behavior doesn’t change, but the way the other person thinks about it does.
The writers of Zootopia 2 used this same trick to write Nick and Judy’s dynamic in the movie, and it’s genuinely great to see it.
As shown in the first movie, Judy was able to become a cop and stop Bellweather because she was able to block out all the naysayers and focus on what she had to do to achieve her goal. She didn’t listen to what other people said about her, and she got her dream job because of it. She ignored the people who didn’t respect her abilities, and she was able to prove them wrong.
In the second movie, Judy still doesn’t listen to what her critics have to say, which means she also doesn’t listen to Nick, her partner, who DOES respect her and wants her to succeed. She blocks out a dissenting voice, and it leads to someone she cares about feeling railroaded and undervalued in their relationship.
“She’s very assertive and doesn’t let other people tell her who she is or what she can do” is also “She’s pushy and doesn’t listen to anybody but herself”
In the first movie, Nick wasn’t interested in catching Bellweather, he just wanted to avoid going to prison or getting mauled by a jaguar. His priority was his own welfare and interests, which grew to include Judy as an individual. He prioritized safety, which saw him becoming close with Judy and working with her to help save others despite even his own efforts to hinder her.
In the second movie, Nick still doesn’t care about the case that much, but he DOES care about Judy and is willing to go along with whatever she’s doing to be close to her. His lack of investment in the case allows him to disengage when the situation becomes dangerously unhealthy, like when Judy would have drowned had he not given up pursuing Gary to get them out of the tunnel. He prioritized Judy’s life over catching the suspect, and it kept them both alive so they could actually solve the case.
“He’s selfish and doesn’t care about the big picture” is also “He wants the people he cares about to be safe and is able to pump the brakes when things get too intense.”
Their greatest strengths are also their greatest weaknesses, and their flaws are what allow them to succeed, and that’s some really great writing.
