Rio, like Ice Age (also directed by Carlos Saldanha), is a fun fast-paced film that explores teamwork and friendship. It combines comedy, romance, adventure, and musicals, which help create an energetic and dynamic Brazilian rhythm that runs throughout.
Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) is a Spix’s Macaw, an endangered species, who has been domesticated for fifteen years by his owner Linda (Leslie Mann), a bookworm. Blu cannot fly, is socially awkward, and lives a comfortable routine life with Linda. When it is discovered that he is that last male of his species, Linda and Blu travel to Brazil so that he can repopulate his kind. Jewel (Anne Hathaway) is the caged female Macaw whom Blu is paired up with, but their rocky relationship and the smugglers who come for the them divert the initial plan of preservation.
Chained together, Blu and Jewel escape the smugglers and their ugly Cockatoo, Nigel (Jermaine Clement) and try to break free from each other. They meet an eccentric set of characters along their journey: Rafael (George Lopez) the family Toucan, the comedic duo Pedro (Will.i.am) and Nico (Jamie Foxx), Luiz (Tracy Morgan) the attention-loving Bulldog, and greedy monkeys. Faced with several obstacles such his inability to fly and the smugglers, Blu learns to overcome them and matures throughout Rio.
The film’s site-specificity is something to appreciate. It was a treat to take a glimpse at the glitzy and spectacular Carnivale, Brazil’s most famous celebration. The richness of Rio’s culture is shown through the city’s liveliness, the use of intense colors, and the characterizations of the animals. Tourism of Rio is also considered in this film (check out the Monkey scenes and the beach scene). The captivating cityscape and landscapes were rendered effectively. The adventure is festive and compelling with its visual content.
Rio manages to be a genuinely funny movie. The awkward moments of Blu were entertaining; Eisenberg’s personality certainly showed through his voice acting. The wide range of voice actors put to use is impressive and appropriate, rather than detracting from the experience. The animation did fall short at some points. The music sung by Pedro and Nico were catchy, but the Top 40 club quality made me feel a little uncomfortable. The ending was also disappointing, as I felt that it moved too fast from the climax. In the end, this is a film for children, unlike some of Pixar’s recent aspirations, and doing so it is spunky, lively, and comical.
