Shakira attends the LA Premiere of "Zootopia" held at El Capitan Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP)

Disney’s “Zootopia 2” takes us back to the CGI-animated world where animals talk, act like humans and live in a sprawling metropolis with various species inhabiting the sometimes literal rat race. Hops (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), a rabbit and a fox, are now officially police officers.

After a disastrous auto chase in the opening act, Hops suspects the escaped perp was a reptile, but snakes are outlawed in Zootopia. The presence of a corrupt lynx family (led by a sinister David Strathairn) and a serpent on the run (a soulful turn by Ke Huy Quan) inspire Hops and Wilde to resort back to their con job days, go off-the-books and try to uncoil a vast conspiracy.

Director Jared Bush’s screenplay overflows with puns, like “Zoogle” instead of Google and “Ewe Tube” instead of YouTube. When a pig’s car is stolen, he cries, “My hog rod! This is a snout-rage!” It’s that kind of movie.

Bush also wrote “Zootopia” (2016) and “Encanto” (2021), both of which are better than this but equally ambitious. “Zootopia 2” is funny, beautifully animated and showcases a massive ensemble of great actors who sound like they’re having fun in the recording booth.

It reflects a pre-“Aladdin” (1992) Disney, when their animated films were cast with character actors, giving the vocal performances and not above-the-title movie stars. Films like “The Jungle Book” (1967) obviously come to mind.

Goodwin is still terrific, and her chemistry with Bateman remains the glue that holds this together. Andy Samberg is well utilized in a key supporting role, and Shakira makes a welcome return as pop star gazelle. Perhaps the cast is a hair too big, as Michael J. Fox and Macaulay Culkin are listed in the end credits, but I have no idea who they played.

An early group-therapy sequence is hilarious, but underlines a problem: What is being parodied here is “48 HRS” (1982), “Lethal Weapon” (1987) and “Rush Hour” (1998), hardly titles that will register for the film’s audience of grade schoolers. There’s also an extended parody of the maze chase from “The Shining” (1980). Okay, Disney. I’ll just explain that reference to my 10-year-old, who is still creeped out by “Tangled” (2010).

Many recent CGI family comedies, like this one, have scenes where characters go clubbing and in massive, throbbing dance halls. I wish this wasn’t being pushed in so many children’s films, though “Zootopia 2” takes it a step further, with a sequence set in “Burning Mammal.” Get it, kids? First clubbing, now this. I miss the good ole’ days, when Pinocchio went to Pleasure Island- actually, never mind. That was much worse.

“Zootopia 2” is inoffensive but still a little more grown up and smart-for-the-room than needed.

While less heavy handed than the original, the sequel carries the message that everyone should “embrace our differences and be better together.” Other soundbites that stood out are “You can be different from your family,” “Zootopia is for everyone” and “our differences don’t make a difference at all.” The earnest messaging is refreshingly at odds with the daily doses of cynicism and crass soundbites in the media.

To put it another way, there’s an effort here to suggest that compassion and understanding go a long way to sustain friendships and happiness. In other words, this is, despite some of my earlier comments, mostly a refreshingly old-fashioned movie.

For all the frantic action sequences, some of the best moments happen in slow motion, such as the return of everyone’s favorite working sloth. There’s also a sharp “Ratatouille” (2007) joke, but please, no sequel is needed for that one.

I wish Disney would go back to making more original films and not overdose its audience on so many sequels. It’s been 15 years since their biggest hits didn’t have a number in the title.

Still, Hops and Wilde remain an irresistible buddy duo, there’s potential here as a franchise and the steady stream of big laughs carry this one.

(3 out of 4 stars)

Barry Wurst II is the founder of the Hawaii Film Critics Society and teaches film classes at University of Hawai’i Maui College.