ZOOKEEPER
Funny animal advice comes with a worldview parents should discuss.
Should You Watch It?
Zookeeper is a funny, amiable comedy with a kind-hearted hero and plenty of animal-centered humor. The audience is kept laughing even though the plot has flaws and the production quality is not extremely high.
The bigger concern is the worldview. The movie presents animals as unusually close to people, and its strong environmentalist message can reinforce that confusion. It also includes lots of scatological humor, four obscenities, eight profanities, and several crude comments.
You can enjoy this with older children and adults if you are ready to discuss the difference between caring for animals and equating them with people. For younger children, choose something else or watch with particular discernment.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESGriffin Keyes is the lead zookeeper at Franklin Park Zoo. He lovingly cares for the animals, but his confidence falters when Stephanie, his former girlfriend, returns to his life.
Then Griffin discovers that the zoo animals can talk. They offer romantic advice to help him win Stephanie back, while Griffin’s coworker and friend Kate begins to show interest in him. His unusual counselors may help him find love—but not necessarily in the way he expects.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means a funny and entertaining comedy with noticeable weaknesses. Zookeeper is a typical Kevin James movie, with an awkward, clumsy main character trying to get the girl. The talking animals provide comic energy, and audiences are kept laughing.
The plot sometimes feels weak, and the production quality is not extremely high. Even so, the movie remains comical and entertaining, despite the fact that audiences have seen this kind of story in different formats.
The Worldview
The movie has a mixed worldview, including light pagan and romantic elements and light moral elements. Its strongest idea is environmentalist: animals are treated as comparable to people. That message may add to the film’s paganism, especially because the animals are presented as lovable advisers and friends.
The film does show Griffin lovingly caring for the animals, and it presents friendship, romance, and loyalty as meaningful. But caring responsibly for God’s creatures is not the same as treating animals as human equals. Scripture gives people a distinct place in creation: “Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth” (Genesis 1:26).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light mixed pagan worldview with some light Romantic elements, light moral elements and strong environmental content that equates animals with people and could add to the paganism; four obscenities, eight profanities, scatological comments about (pee and poop), and several crude comments but not extremely salacious; light comic violence such as man pushes other man off bike, man whips other man multiple times, man pushes other man into wall and wall falls apart, and man kicks other man; no implied or depicted sex scenes but it’s implied unmarried couple live together, some kissing and woman sees man naked but nothing shown though it’s discussed; upper male nudity with man in bathtub, women in scantily clad outfits, and man without pants on; no drinking; no smoking or drug use; and, lying, gorilla dances with women at TGI Fridays, and women do yoga and speak about the different positions.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Griffin cares deeply for animals. What does it mean to care for creation without treating animals as people?
Genesis 1:26–28 · Proverbs 12:10The film connects romance with changing one’s job and identity. How should we respond when other people pressure us to become someone else?
Romans 12:2 · Galatians 1:10The movie uses scatological and crude humor. How can our entertainment shape the way we speak?
Ephesians 4:29 · Philippians 4:8Griffin receives advice from unexpected voices. How can we test advice before following it?
Proverbs 14:15 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21The Final Word
Zookeeper is a funny, entertaining comedy with weak spots in its plot and production. Its strong environmental message, crude humor, and brief language call for discernment. For middle schoolers and older viewers ready to discuss those concerns, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP.
