Monday, October 03, 2011

Review: Rio the Movie


Review: Rio :
Directed by Carlos Saldanha

Staring Jesse Eisenberg - Anne Hathaway - George Lopez - Tracy Morgan

Plot-line for this film is something you have seen over and over again, especially in animal based animation. The lead character is taken from it’s natural environment by whatever nefarious persons for whatever nefarious reasons. Whether it be deer, bear, human, the plot is the same, they are taken, very unhappy, they grow up happy but unaware, then some fluke reintroduces them to their natural state and for the balance of the movie they founder - trying to rediscover their birthright while often dealing with a romantic element.

I am sure without difficulty you could name 3 or 4 without even trying. Well from Blue Sky studios, we now can add another.

Now first, don’t get me wrong. Rio even in 2d is sumptuously drawn and flawlessly animated. The voice-work / acting and music are dead on. Renting this movie you won’t feel robbed by any of these being flawed.

I started feeling ripped off when the plot showed no imagination at all. A Saturday morning cartoon takes more chances than this film did. Absolutely nothing new happens here. Yeah I know, the argument is that it is aimed at children. But with a budget of 90 million and what that really relates to is the adults ponying up about 484 million overall just for tickets or twice that overall in related theater sales. So I would think that any studio with half a brain would want to keep the adult in the theater for as long as possible. Not the case here though. This film is a brainless as it gets. If you are a fan of animation as I am then you get a very well animated product but with all the life of a limp pickle.

As for extras? You have got to question how much faith a director or studio has in a product by how much additional info they include in extras on disk. When there aren’t any you have got to think that the studio has little faith in it’s product, is all about the money end and has got to have nothing but contempt for the viewer.

My conclusion? unless you have a room full of 3 or 4 year olds that need a sit down, then this is an ok buy. If you are renting for a mixed group...can’t hurt but for an addition to an animated library or insight into how modern animated features are produced...ain’t gona happen with this one.

How would I rate it? Well animation is good but the plot is soulless and the studio flips you off with no extras. 6...I suspect everyone was in for a payday on this one.

No comments: