Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageRio (2011)
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Synopsis
A domesticated macaw named Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) travels from small-town Minnesota to Rio de Janeiro when he meets the bird of his dreams.
Movie review
From Time Out London
Given that ‘Ice Age’ director Carlos Saldanha hails from Rio de Janeiro, we can only assume this new Blue Sky Studios 3D animation was a personal project for him – a chance to celebrate his hometown and drum up some tourism along the way. He’s made a fine fist of capturing the city’s landscape with its colourful favelas, lush vegetation, sunny beaches and that most iconic of landmarks, Sugarloaf Mountain. A shame, then, that the film is hamstrung by an uninspiring, tissue-thin story about a rare, domesticated macaw that doesn’t know how to fly.An instantly recognisable Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg in ‘The Social Network’) voices Blu, who has an easy life in Minnesota in the care of mollycoddling bookstore assistant Linda (Leslie Mann). But when bird expert Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) learns of Blu’s existence, he turns up to whisk him away to Rio for a mating session with Jewel (Anne Hathaway), the last remaining female of the species. Ordinarily, a scenario like this would make decent material for a wildlife documentary but really not a very exciting kids’ film – which explains the appearance of badass poachers who steal Blu and Jewel with a view to making a killing on the black market.
In the film’s favour, the 3D is crisp, richly realised and endowed with exquisite depth of field. But all that eye-candy counts for little when the jokes fall flat, the Latino songs lack lustre and the script is so ineffectual. ‘Rio’ isn’t totally devoid of merit – it could just do with a lot more zip and zing in its tail feathers.
Author: Derek Adams
Time Out London Issue 2120
User reviews of this film
-
- ric said...
- Posted on May 28 2011 10:45 1 star cos im sick of seeing the blu character in the stupid cineworld adverts.its been on for at least 2months
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Jade said...
- Posted on May 23 2011 07:53 RRRIIIOOO GREAT FILM IM GOING TO SEE IT TODAY FOR THE 10TH TIME LOL
- Report as inappropriate
-
- SJP said...
- Posted on May 04 2011 16:22 Super film, loved it, worth watching. Children thought it was great x
- Report as inappropriate
-
- chris said...
- Posted on May 01 2011 21:21 this is great
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Eleanor said...
- Posted on Apr 30 2011 19:17 Rio is exetedablely funny as carnival has some ridiculas costumes and spider on bleus back and pedro and the funniest hat jewel islike the jewel of the forest you MUST SEE IT! youll LOVE IT!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- catherine rihanna said...
- Posted on Apr 16 2011 12:49 i have not watched it but it sounds good i am waltching it today at 4;30 hope it is good i will get baack to you lovers xxx bye for now xxxxxxx
- Report as inappropriate
-
- kate said...
-
Posted on Apr 13 2011 10:01
BRILLIANT
HILARIOUS
this s the film you want to take us kids to watch at the pictures - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jemaine Clement, Jake T. Austin
Genre(s): Children's, Comedy
Rated: U
Duration: 96 mins
UK Release: Apr 8 2011
Top Stories
Ridley Scott interview
Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback
Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report
Dave Calhoun reports on the hits, misses and a shocking new masterpiece from Michael Haneke
What do you think?
Post your review now