Disney have built their animated empire on cute talking animals; it was a certain talking mouse after all that appeared in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie, and he's had a decent career since then and done pretty well for the company.

This latest Disney animated tale follows in the paw steps of some classic animal themed films - Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book, Robin Hood etc - so it has some huge hooves to fill.

Bunnyburrow is a quiet little town, possibly too quiet for the likes of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin); she longs for adventure and excitement, but most of all she dreams of being an officer in the police force. The problem is, the force has never allowed a bunny to join its ranks.

This doesn't stop Judy though, as she gives her all at the academy determined to be the first bunny on the beat. Her grit and passion pay off as she graduates and gets sent to the big, bustling city of Zootropia, where she hopes to spend her time catching criminals.

Although it doesn't pan out quite as she would hope, with her new boss putting her on parking ticket duty, her path does cross that of sly fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman); he's a charming con artist out to make some quick cash, who knows his way around the city.

Not satisfied with handing out parking tickets, Judy jumps at the chance to track down Emmitt Otterton, who is one of a number of Zootopia residents who have gone missing recently. As it turns out, Wilde was the last one to see Otterton before he disappeared, so Judy ropes him in to help out on the case. She needs all the help she can get, as her boss has given her only 48 hours to solve the case, and if she fails, she has to resign from the force.

With the clock ticking, Judy and Nick Wilde have it all to do as they venture into the dark, furry underbelly of Zootopia, in order to save the day.

We're reaching a point now in animation, particularly with Disney and Pixar titles, where it's difficult to see how much further they can push the medium as the standard now is so incredibly high, and Zootropolis is no exception. At times, it's visually breathtaking, as the animators are clearly keen to not just push the envelope, but have it stand up on its two corners and do a smug little jig. It's such a shame then that its story lets it down.

Considering that it's a Disney film, and therefore primarily aimed at a younger audience, the story is probably the most convoluted in Disney history. So much so that you shouldn't be surprised if you end up scratching your own head and wondering exactly what it was about.

It's difficult to know what's more surprising, the fact that Disney bosses greenlit the story, or that seven writers get a screen credit for coming up with it. It's always troubling to see more than two writers getting a writing credit, but the fact that seven of them came up with such nonsensical tripe is alarming. It feels like a first thought, that wasn't thought through any further than that, that ends up clumsily on the screen.

And even if you take away the stupid plot, and we wish someone did, the script isn't up to the usual high standards; it's bland and misses the kind of magic you expect from a Disney title.

And talking of titles, for some reason, the film was released in some territories, including the UK, under a different name; in the States it was released as Zootopia, while elsewhere, inexplicably, it goes by the name Zootropolis. Why they decided on the subtle change is anyone's guess, but it seems a rather pointless exercise. Still, whatever you call it, it's not as good as it should have been.

Maybe we've just been too spoilt over the years with some genuinely original animated films, but Zootropolis is just too disappointingly average for a Disney film. That said, the 3D is impressive, as is the animation, and it's bound to keep certain family members quiet for a bit with its talking animals cuteness. If you're looking for a Disney classic though, you'd be barking up the wrong tree.