Storyline: Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there’s another — and that she’s a she — he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. But it’s far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life’s many wonders. ‘Rio’ brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Cast: Anne Hathaway, George Lopez , Jesse Eisenberg , Will.I.Am , Jamie Foxx
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Action/Adventure
Release Date: April 15, 2011
Run Time: 96 min
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for mild off color humor.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox Distribution
Gross: $135,441,274
Rio is a very colorful animation about two birds and their adventure in the beautiful Rio de Janeiro, just in time for Brazil’s Carnival.
This movie was really intended for the kids and kids at heart. It is a nice family movie which is about morals and values and the meaning of friendship and family. It starts off showing the bird when he was young and yes, there is singing in it a lil bit unlike Ice Age. Expect a lot of singing in this movie that I’ve had a last song syndrome of its opening song.
There’s such a variety of colors used for the birds on this film and I loved the color formations they’ve made. It is such a wonderful choreography. The colors of the environment and the portrayal of the country’s culture are also some of the things viewers should look forward too. For the directors showing the negativity of poaching and animal smuggling is also a good way to make people aware of it except that they didn’t really mention the negative effects given to the environment which would have made at least an impact to the young viewers.
The thing that disappointed me though was the story. It wasn’t as great as “Ice Age” or “Toy Story”. I would have loved an animation that would make me cry and move me and show people that there is another side to cartoons and not just limit itself to being a genre for kids, that it can be also a good way to share a point or a cause to people. I expected too much having read that the people behind “Ice Age” made the film, I didn’t know the writers weren’t a part of it.
The story though wasn’t bad though I wished for something more to it but it still was funny and entertaining to watch. I loved how it took me to Brazil and I did wish to visit the place. It also didn’t fail to show the negative parts of the city, I guess everything just has a negative and positive part to it, it just depends to how people view things. And the carnival is just something that people should look forward to. I’m happy they didn’t really linger much on the women and their costumes but on the overall look of how Carnival and its program and festivities look like.
I give this movie a 7 out of 10. Watch it and enjoy the colors, culture, costumes, wildlife, adventure, relationships, story and the funny lines and incidents in the movie. Also enjoy the dance and music and be taken to a journey to the wonderful world that is Rio.
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