by Kris Fronzak, News Editor
The recently released animated film “Rio” from Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios film proves that a stellar cast can’t fix inherent unoriginality — but it can make the unoriginality a little more amusing.
Relying on a combination of lurid colors (it is set in the tropics, after all), witty dialogue and cutesy moments, “Rio” sucks you in for an hour and a half of lighthearted playfulness. Despite the predictable plot, the characters within are spunky and endearing, and the transformation of Blu, our main Macaw, is radical but totally believable.
The story begins in the wild jungles of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where hundreds of birds are celebrating life with an impromptu singing/flying party. Hearing the commotion, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a fledgling Spix’s Macaw, pokes his little head out of the nest. He sees the festivities, dances in place for a minute and accidentally falls from the nest, inadvertently discovering he cannot fly. He staggers pitifully on the ground for only a few seconds before smugglers swoop down on the area, snatching up every bird in sight, including the defenseless Blu.
The birds are smuggled all the way to Wisconsin, but Blu catches a break when his cage falls out of the van and is discovered by a quirky, loving young girl named Linda (Leslie Mann). A picture montage traces Linda and Blu’s transition into young adulthood — both alone, but comfortable and happy together.
Their peaceful lives are rudely interrupted by the invasion of the hapless, eccentric Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro). Tulio is an ornithologist who traveled from Rio to find Blu and persuade him to mate with the only other Spix’s Macaw remaining on the planet, a feisty female named Jewel (Anne Hathaway).
After some humorous persuasion, the group makes its way back to Blu’s homeland, where Blu is introduced to Jewel. She immediately rejects him, and classic raillery ensues. After being kidnapped, the avian pair escapes and sets off on an adventure to find their owners — and remove the chain that binds them together.
They pick up some bird friends along the way (George Lopez, will.i.am and Jamie Foxx). After plenty more mishaps and encounters with the wicked parrot, Nigel (Jemaine Clement), the group eventually makes its way back to Tulio and Linda. In the way of most animated films, the antagonists are vanquished and all “good” characters live happily ever after.
Though most of the plot is unsurprising, the film is still a good watch — banter and witty dialogue punctuate all but the most serious scenes. The budding chemistry between Blu and Jewel, and later between Tulio and Linda, is charming.
The film is also appreciably accurate about the types of music and wildlife of Rio de Janeiro, even going as far as to make Blu a Spix’s Macaw, which is a critically endangered bird from Brazil. Granted, there are around 100 known Spix’s Macaws in existence today, not two, but the point remains. Director Carlos Sahldana, who also directed “Ice Age” and its sequels, is skilled at pulling heartstrings — it’s highly unlikely that anyone who’s watched “Rio” will elect to go into the smuggling business.
There may be a little too much “movie magic” to totally satisfy and the predictability is tiring, but on the whole, “Rio” is a charming, feel-good animated film that’s worth a watch, especially if you’re in the mood for something light. With an estimated $90 million budget, “Rio” is expected to continue to succeed at the box office. The film grossed an additional $26 million from ticket sales this past weekend, totaling $80 million profit.