The mystery at the center of Zootopia is just an excuse to see the denizens of the metropolis in action. They're all recognizable human archetypes translated into animal form, like Idris Elba’s gruff water buffalo Police Chief Bogo, J.K. Simmons' pompous Mayor Lionheart, Alan Tudyk's lowlife Duke Weaselton, Shakira's sexy (and frankly superfluous) pop star Gazelle and, in an inspired bit of casting, Tommy Chong's hippie Yax, who runs a nudist retreat. Even though much ado is made about the frolickers being naked, no animated genitalia is on display, though little ones are sure to giggle at this naughty bit.

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Shakira plays a crooning gazelle with a top hit, Try Everything, in the animated flick that attracted a number of top actors and performers.

The characters act like people, so the interactions should be easy for little kids to grasp, even if they lose the thread of the story. Judy and Nick are instantly lovable, with their big eyes and hearts, which means their scenes as bullied youngsters might be frightening for preschoolers. Nick's is especially traumatic, because he ends up in a muzzle that looks like something Hannibal Lecter might wear. In contrast, Judy's incident features a few scratches from a fox classmate unrelated to Nick, but the source of her distrust of the species. She makes up with him as an adult, which provides closure as well as an important plot advancement.

The indefatigable Judy Hopps, the city's first rabbit cop, stars in Zootopia, trying to crack open a case of animals gone rogue.

While there are plenty of action sequences, including a thrilling train chase, the scariest bits have to do with predators acting like, well, predators. In Zootopia, predators and prey live side by side, if not in harmony then in tolerance. Without giving too much away, it's important to know their peaceful society is coming undone because tamed predators suddenly seem to be "giving in" to their nature, gnashing their teeth, flashing their claws and pouncing. More than once, Judy and Nick are forced to flee out-of-control animals who, just moments earlier, seemed docile. There's a panther attack that's particularly intense. Sensitive tots might find these scenes confusing and, possibly, upsetting.

For parents, there are a wealth of clever pop-culture riffs, from The Godfather to Breaking Bad, and the scene at the DMV, staffed entirely by slow-as-molasses sloths, is uproarious (unless you have to renew your license soon). There were definitely moments when my 10-year-old asked, "What are you laughing at?" because references went over her head, proving the film is as much for adults as kids.

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The city of Zootopia looks pretty from above, but fighting has broken out below among fearful residents.

Though the movie is playing in IMAX 3D, save for the breathtaking aerial views of Zootopia as Judy arrives by train, the film doesn't really need it. Yes, the whole thing pops more with these effects, but if you're looking to save some bucks, your kids should enjoy it just as much in old-fashioned 2D. At almost two hours, the film requires a decent attention span. Toward the end, we heard many a tot cry due to restlessness. Although there's nothing inappropriate for wee ones, I'd say Zootopia is best appreciated by ages 5 and older. By the way, there's no bonus scene at the end, so no need to stay through the credits as we did (and always do ever since the shawarma bit in The Avengers).

Elements of Zootopia are reminiscent of other films. The whole "can predators and prey live in harmony" question was explored in the inferior Madagascar. I even thought of X-Men in terms of how mutants, here animals, are misunderstood and feared. But in the end, Zootopia is an original that inspires smiles and some pretty serious discussions about the importance of fighting against prejudice.

Zootopia opens nationwide Friday, March 4 and is rated PG. See the trailer below.

All photos courtesy of Disney.