Rio

An animated feature based around two parrots; Rio begins the way many children’s cartoons do these days, with depressing situations. But after Blu, voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, is captured and sent to Minnesota to be sold as a pet, he does find happiness living with the all-around average Linda (Leslie Mann). Years later the pair must go to Brazil in an attempt to save Blu’s species, since only one other blue macaw exists. But it wouldn’t be much of a movie if things went according to plan. The two get kidnapped (again) and must find a way to free themselves from a chain tying them together and return to the lives they had before this whole ordeal began.

The voice talents of Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway don’t sound like your typical animated characters. Eisenberg uses his usual awkward stuttering to bring Blu to life. Then there’s Hathaway who has the ability to break into song at any turn. The duo really helps Rio stand apart from the average Disney movie and Disney rip-off. With that being said, everything in the film isn’t completely fresh. The wild monkeys come across as the slow cousins of the Madagascar lemurs. And the Timon and Pumba-esque Nico and Pedro (Jamie Foxx and Will-I-Am) struggle to find a purpose beyond comic relief. They are funny though, which helps a bit.

Rio does well balancing multiple storylines and as a result, it moves right along. The occasional use of songs makes for an interesting alternative to a full-fledged musical. Most of the songs are comical in nature and used to reveal aspects of a character’s persona. So, all-in-all Rio is a successful effort that children will most definitely swoon over. But like always, I think animation needs to move away from the depressing backgrounds born out of the classic Disney era. Some people have an enjoyable childhood, so wouldn’t it be likely that some movie characters do too? (8.3 out of 10)