Every year now there are countless animated films jumping of the Pixar fuelled bandwagon and 2011 is definitely no exception. We’ve already seen Gnomeo and Juliet (…..), Rango, Mars Needs Moms (Moms?) and we have yet to come: Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Happy Feet 2, Smurfs, Puss in Boots and a number of other 'thrilling' titles. Obviously it is a difficult task to rise above the mediocre in this ever expanding genre, and Rio does just that, and with some style.
Rio follows ‘Blu’, a Spix’s Macaw voiced by Jesse Eisenburg, who, after being captured in sunny Rio as a baby, ends up in Moose lake, Minnesota, rescued by Linda, voiced by Leslie Mann. After some further set-up, we soon discover that Blu in the last male of his kind from Ornithologist Tulio voiced by Rodrigo Santoro, and must travel to Rio, surprise surprise, to meet up with Jewel, a female Spix Macaw, voiced by Anne Hathaway, to save the species. Soon after his arrival, trouble ensues and both Blu and Jewel are captured by bird-smugglers and well, you can kind of guess to rest. There are a number of trials and tribulations, we meet a number of colourful and sometimes funny (some not so much) characters, there are high points, and the inevitable low points and in the end, the plot doesn’t deviate away from anything you have seen in any previous animated film, be that Pixar or Disney. I don’t think I’m ruining anything by letting you know that good prevails over evil, none of the birds die, and Blu overrides his inability to fly at a crucial climax. Overall, you’ll know precisely what you are getting here and the plot is extremely easy to follow, which I guess is the aim of such animated features predominantly aimed at kids but enjoyed by adults alike.
Obviously what the majority want, and I guess what I also want for such films, are good characters and some good humour as well as something that is visually stunning.
Rio definitely lives up to this expectation for the latter. The animation is top notch and though the art style isn’t original or distinctive, like that of Rango, it certainly has its charm. What is most visually striking is the colour palette. Everything is amazingly colourful, the birds, the city of Rio itself, with the carnival scenes and those musical numbers (yes I said Musical numbers) being especially vibrant. These scenes are certainly a feast for the eyes and a welcome change from the whites and greys of Blue Sky studio’s most notably franchise, Ice Age. Meanwhile, though the 3D is nothing that you haven’t seen in other animated features, it certainly adds to the visual brilliance (though really it would probably be just as visually stunning without it). Purely in terms of visuals, Rio is on par with the best of animated films.
With that box checked, we should move onto more pressing issues, is it funny? Well yes, sometimes. I wouldn’t say it is the funniest animated features you will see, and there is little of the clever more adult oriented humour for say, Ice Age, or a myriad of Pixar films, while even for a younger audience some of the gags would fall a bit flat. That said, it is not a disaster in this field, and there are certainly some funny moments, just not as many as might be expected.
This obviously falls a lot upon the characters and the voice work, and in some cases, say in the case of the animated duo Pedro, a Red-crested (and rather podgy) Cardinal voiced by no other than Will I am, and Nico, a yellow Canary voiced by Jamie fox, there is more style than substance. This duo isn’t bad, but for me it was their jokes that generally fell the flattest, with Will I Am’s character being more annoying than anything else. That said, there are a number of other characters that are good. Both Blu and Jewel are voiced well by Jesse Einsenburg and Anne Hathaway. For me though, it was Nigel, a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo voiced by Jamaine Clement (of flight of the conchords fame) and who acts as the main bird-based villain for the feature, who was the main standout. Here we have all the evil yet witty bird action you could desire, with Jamaine’s delightful English accent sealing the deal. Also Nigel’s musical number is probably the best, and the funniest, of the lot (not all too surprisingly when you consider this).In the end then, despite its non-too original plot and sometimes a lack of humour, this is definitely a great film for all the family. It is beautiful to behold, has some great characters, and there is nothing here that is aggressively bad, even though it has will.i.am in it. If you are looking for something for the kids, but also something that you will enjoy too, or if you just have a hankering for a decent animated film while you wait for the next good Pixar film to drop (and I don’t think I’m talking about Car’s 2!), then this is definitely worth a watch.
HARSH !
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