Rio: Movie Review

There are already a lot of animated movies from the recently released "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" to the "Ice Age" series where animals behave amd socialize like human beings. With "Rio", the trend continues. Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) is a domesticated blue Macaw who was adopted by an introvert book store owner Linda (Leslie Mann). Their journey starts when a young bird scientist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) invites both Linda and Blu to Rio de Janerio in Brazil so Blu can meet Jewel (Anne Hathaway) to save the blue Macaw species from extinction. Sounds interesting? Read on to find out what we think.

I have to admit, "Rio" did not seem to be interesting after watching the trailer a couple of times. However, the trailer did not do justice to the movie. There was never a dull moment throughout the film. The storyline was long enough to cover all bases but short enough to keep the people glued to their seats.

The various relationships between the characters is probably one the reasons why you will watch "Rio" intensively from start to finish. Of note is the loving relationship between the pet (Blu) and its owner (Linda). A pet lover such as myself can relate to Linda's dilemma on how much she would like to get Blu back. Another in-film connection I liked is the romantic and comedic aspect coming from the couples in the movie. It's like watching an innocent young boy trying to get the girl of his dreams. Hopeless romantics would enjoy it.

Oddly enough, the supporting characters completed the movie experience from the witty raps of Pedro (Wil.IAm) and Nico (Jamie Foxx) to the cute slobbery, dancing, party animal bulldog Luiz (Tracy Morgan). The movie would have turned out for the worse if the supporting cast was non-existent or even different.

As for the animation and visuals, the 3D graphics were average - nothing spectacular but it was still crisply done.

All in all, it's a nice movie for a family day out. Both kids and adults would enjoy it. Is it a must-see movie this summer? Probably not. But watching it won't be a waste of your time and money.

Rating: 3 and a half reels





Why you should watch it:
- great connection between the main characters
- funny from start to finish
- an outstanding supporting cast completes the whole "Rio" experience

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- average graphics might surprise some people
- seems a little too typical to the barrage of animation films coming out


This was a guest review by Miko Medina. Miko is a budding entrepreneur and is the owner of Eagle's Nest in Banawe.