Rio (2011) User Reviews (262)

Predictable but well done

[LBWood · 7/10 · 25 April 2011]

We saw this in 2D, on a digital projection system. While the movie is an hour and 36 minutes, it felt longer to me. I guess it's because there was nothing new about this, it was all pretty predictable. I even dozed off for a few minutes part way through.

Now, on the positive side, the movie's colors are rich and vibrant. The animation quality is simply amazing; some of the wide scenic shots looked almost real. The music is a lot of fun and there are some good laughs, especially in the latter half of the film. My 10-year old son was glued to the screen; even asked us when it was over which was our favorite scene(s). Overall, it's a good film. I'd say take the kids and go have some fun.

Went to Rio and loved it.

[alex_serious · 7/10 · 1 May 2011]

And BAM! Suddenly, singing and dancing. Rio explodes into life in the opening scene and sets the tone for the rest of the movie. An easy going adventure with fun and random musical numbers and breath-taking scenery.

However, it isn't all sun and sand. Jesse Eisenberg and his character "Blu" will annoy you from start to finish as will the slobbering dog.

But these are very easy to dismiss, as Eisenberg is in no way a bad actor, nor are any of the other cast members for that matter. The fact is, that there isn't much to say about this movie because it is really good, not a master piece, but really good.

So take you and your baby to Rio because you will both enjoy it. Unless you are a pessimist.

7/10 stars or 3.5/5 stars

Good animation,good characters,good humour,good movie.

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 26 April 2011]

Rio is a great movie,the animations great,the characters are great,the humours great,the cast is great,the musics great,the movie in general is a well deserved hit.

After a bird is adopted several years ago,he has never left his owners site,hes afraid to go outside and the bird (Blu) can not even fly,but he isn't bothered about it on e bit.

A male bird doctor comes asking for Blu and the owner to come to his hometown,Rio so he can breed the birds almost extinct species with a female bird.But while at Rio,the two birds get kidnapped and the adventure begins.

I believe I can fly ...

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 22 December 2011]

Or not. But what does matter is that the movie is fun. And it's not only fun for a younger audience, but also for adults to watch. Some (especially in Great Britain) were fed up with the movie even before they watched it, because the two stars of the movie were starring in an ad for a cell phone company (Orange). Of course that kind of treatment would be unfair to the movie.

If you are not biased and can handle a bit of romance and the overcoming odds story, then you will enjoy this. As Jesse Eisenberg is spot on as a "bird out of the air" so to speak. Even people who don't enjoy George Lopez as a comedian, might like him here. I thought his performance was spot on. Not a perfect movie overall, but the cast (as mentioned) and the mostly very well written jokes, work their magic!

Nothing new, but look at that breathtaking scenery. Wow!

[Theothervip · 8 April 2011]

Rating: *** out of 4.

I usually don't like movies like RIO, mainly because they always end up being rehashes of previous movies; unless your talking Pixar, there's very little to no new things in animated movies nowadays other than their exquisite looks. So when I saw a special advanced screening of RIO a few days ago, my expectations were low, enough for me to expect that the film will fail. But hey, what a surprise! It's pretty good actually. So RIO ain't a new masterpiece-it's not at all much different with any Dreamworks or Blue Sky Animation effort that comes out every given year- but it was fun. The kids at the screening had a ball with it, but I can also hear older teenagers and adult audiences chuckling along with them. And I'm up there with them.

The story isn't something you haven't heard before. Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is a rare Blue Macaw raised in Minnesota by the bookish Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann). But being the last male of his species, Blu is requested to leave his Minnesota homeland and shipped to his real birthplace, in Rio de Janeiro, where a female of the same species is being kept in captivity. Blu doesn't warm up easily to the impetuous Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway), and certainly a rare bird such as her being kept in captivity like that doesn't help. It also doesn't help that Jewel wants to escape and Blu, being a total "housebird" and all, can't fly.

But what it lacks in a fresh new idea it more than makes up for in lively execution. This movie is just amazing to look at, boasting one of the most gorgeous looks of any animated movie since some of the Pixar films and the occasionally bizarre but lavish-looking BEE MOVIE. It may even be more beautiful since this is exactly what it wants to be and not much else. Director Carlos Saldanha, who helmed two ICE AGE sequels, and the rest of the crew have done just that. The eye-popping visuals are the moneymaker and one of the few films to come out once and a while that is worth paying extra money to see on 3D. Once again, the 3D ain't something groundbreaking, but it's exactly what comes to mind when thinking of 3D; the visuals are pristine and dynamic, with flying scenes that are just breathtaking to watch. I could almost feel the wind as a glider glides past the Christ the Redeemer statue. Rio itself looks gorgeous, from the "Carnival" parades to the look of it during the nighttime scenes are just beautiful. If nothing else, it's a virtual tour of a beautiful portrait painted by Saldanha and his animators. The voice cast ain't bad either. Eisenberg is hilarious, and granted he'll be doing these kind of work sometime soon. The real standout is Jemaine Clement (from FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS), who lends an irresistible bad guy charm as a cockatoo named Nigel. Hathaway, George Lopez, will.I.am and Jamie Foxx all fulfill their roles perfectly.

RIO ain't much new, but at least I enjoyed it for what it is. And I wouldn't mind going back to it during its official release and wallow in the dazzling scenery again. Here's a movie meant to be done (and seen) on 3D.

Two birds of a feather

[LazySod · 7/10 · 1 August 2011]

The story starts as a number of birds is caught in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest. One of them is a blue parrot, and as it turns out, a very special one. Years later the wheels of fate have taken him into the loving hands of a woman that treats him very well, maybe a little too well. Fate is again turning on him and his presence is needed in Rio.

And that's where this very colourful animation film really starts rolling. He quickly meets a number of friends and a necessary number of enemies and the rest of the story unfolds at a pleasantly quick pace.

Animation wise this one is nice, but not more than nice. The colour scheme is just great, spot on for the type of film, but action wise it's too much of a kids film - there's too little fun stuff hidden under the surface to keep the adults happy.

Story wise it's a little too rich on clichés and the easy turns and tangles. It's not bad but it's not great. All in all, it works great on the children, and works OK on their parents/guardians.

7 out of 10 feathers in a ruffle

Not great, but watchable

[Rectangular_businessman · 7/10 · 17 March 2012]

"Rio" it's a decent animated film for the whole family. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha (Who also co-directed the "Robots" and "Ice Age") Despite the immense amount of clichés and stereotypes that this movie had (Remember that episode from The Simpsons, "Blame it on Lisa"?) I enjoyed it: The animation is cute and colorful; personally I liked way more the designs of the birds than the designs of the human beings that just seem quite bland and generic. The same goes for their personalities: The birds were the most interesting (and funnier) characters from this movie, while all the humans (Including the main villain) were just boring, one-dimensional characters that were easily forgettable at best.

The voice acting from "Rio" was pretty good, and even when some of the jokes seem forced (Or borrowed from previous CGI films) the overall movie feels okay, being watchable from beginning to end. And also, it was much better than the "Ice Age" sequels.

Location, location, location. It's Rio!

[lnery · 10/10 · 4 April 2011]

"Oh, how wish I was back in my cage, with my mirror, and my little bell"

Jesse Eisenberg should be forever grateful that the Oscar-nominated "The Social Network" was released before Rio. That's because his voice as Blu, the macaw, is so distinctive and perfect, that in my mind he will always be Blu. And if Rio had been released months ago, audiences worldwide would think that Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, missed his cage, mirror and little bell.

Now, for the movie itself…

Location, location, location. Because what's Rio, the movie, without (pulsating, colorful, exuberant, romantic) Rio, the city? The story is delightful, though predictable. The characters are cardboard, even if 3D and feathery. But "predictable" and "cardboard" are the worst adjectives I could possibly link to Rio. The Rio deal, is that I laughed all the way through it, like everybody else in the theater.

Blu, the last male of his kind, is the happiest macaw, out there in a snowy town with Linda, his nerdy owner. Jewel, the last female of her kind, lives in Brazil, and is the saddest macaw, imprisoned in a cage and fighting for her freedom. She's a free-spirited soul, with the world at her feet. Blu has lived a sheltered life, can't fly, and loves every minute of it. What happens when they meet? Anyone above the age of 7 can guess how it ends (age 5 if he's seen the trailer). But there's so much delight from the first minute to the last, that you don't want it to end.

I was one of the lucky few to watch the premiere of Rio in Rio, and at this point I can hardly wait to see it again. A Brazilian, Carlos Saldanha, directed the movie, and it shows. The details of the city are all there, but so is the big picture (you know, everything that really matters, along with wide panoramas of Rio by night, of a crowded beach, of a sunset in the cable cars of Santa Teresa).

Lots of AMAZING aerial views in the action scenes. The main characters are birds, thus flying should be expected. Many of those places showed in the movie can be visited by tourists.

Rio doesn't have the depth of stories such as Toy Story or Up. It is a simpler plot. It is, however, pure fun from start to finish, and visually stunning. Location, location, location. As a native of Rio, I could recognize most places, and was stunned with how realistic were the slums, and how the geography of the city, especially the mountains, could be so painstakingly reproduced.

The movie is not a musical, but it comes close to it. There's funk, bossa nova, a few clichés of Brazilian music and even samba sang in English (still conflicted about it!).

There is also the portrayal of animal trafficking, a centuries-old problem in Brazil, and the subplot of a boy who lives on the streets and must resort to petty crime, which adds up to a much-needed social commentary.

By all means, don't miss this movie!

Beautiful but Stereotyped

[jurandyrsf · 7/10 · 3 May 2011]

I'd rate this movie a 10, but the prejudice it displays prevents me to do so.

There is a recent trend in the movie business to tell stories about Rio de Janeiro's slums. Such is the case of the last Hulk movie, a good part of which was set in the Rocinha slum.

Not everything in Rio de Janeiro is a slum. There are slums everywhere, as there are high, middle and low class, non-slum neighborhoods.

And not all bad things in Rio happens within slums. Bad and good people live in and out of slums. So "Rio" displays double prejudice, about Rio de Janeiro city as a whole - it's much more than slums - and about the slum's inhabitants - bad people exist inside and outside the slums.

Of course, no movie about Rio could forget Carnaval and football. That's OK. I'd just add that Carnaval doesn't happen only in the Sambodromo or in the slums.

As for the rest: (a) The story is pure fantasy, where animals think and act as humans in disguise. But this is what fables are for: conveying human messages in a playful way. (b) Rio de Janeiro is pretty accurate geographically, except for the remote, jungle airport from which the bad guys take off to take the stolen, hero birds away, as there is no such airport anywhere near this city.

Please, film-makers: when you consider making a movie about Rio, try to provide a balanced instead of a prejudiced, biased view of my worldly famous "Wonder City".

Rio-an epic, lovable, beautiful and visually stunning animation

[drakula2005 · 8/10 · 10 April 2011]

Not many animations like Rio come around these days.When i first saw the trailer and the team behind this very anticipated animation, the Ice Age team, i knew it will be very enjoyable and fun to watch.Seeing a TV spot right now, i remember that it was all those things, but much more as well.The quality of the animation was unique-only two or three movies can still compete with this and those are Tangled, Up and How to Train Your Dragon.But still, there was so much going on in Rio, the birds, the colors, the non-stopping stream of movement, lights, music and songs, around the carnival in Rio or in the opening and closing scenes with the singing and dancing of the birds in the forests around the city.So much was going on and with such quality, that no animation has matched.And those epic proportions of the animation are its strongest qualities.Something one can't see every day.

The character development was very good, beginning with a little background of the macaw bird Blu's life, with his owner Linda in Minnesota.Maybe, the other macaw, Jewel, was a little underdeveloped as a character, but with positive reviews coming, there might be a sequel coming on the way as well.Then, Jewel's background might be better developed.

With an animation of such proportions, some box office power along with a few Oscar noms will surely be along the way and the fact that it takes place in Rio alone, will act as an audience magnet, given that Rio's one of the most popular and non-stopping cities in the world.This magical feeling stays all along the movie.You just can't forget you're in Rio.

Rio is as well another example of an animation, worth the time and money of both young and grown-ups.That's what catches the eye.20-th Century Fox has made a great animation and with the possible box-office power of the movie, a sequel might as well be on the works.

So, a great animation, very epic and visually stunning, Rio will keep everyone mesmerized and captivated long after the end, and personally for me is one of the best, if not the bast animation i've seen.

I definitely hope for a sequel and i'll definitely see it again, at the movies.

10/10 for this stunning, colorful, heartwarming and breathtaking experience, named Rio!

P.S.The one thing i thought was missing, was Bellini's Samba De Janeiro- this song can make the mood of every crowd in the world :)

Rio is bright and colorful but just not funny enough. Still exotic birds and locations keeps us engaging.

[saadgkhan · 6/10 · 5 July 2011]

RIO – CATCH IT ( B ) Rio is colorful and delightful but very predictable and not funny enough. The thing we as adults love the most about animated movies these days is that it amuses children along with adults. In case of Rio, it cannot be said, because this was made strictly for children, there is nothing humorous for adults in it besides looking at exotic locations and feathery birds. Rio is visually fantastic and mesmerizing. It won't be wrong to say that the production team has out done their graphics in capturing the true essence of the exotic birds and locations. Blu is voiced by Jesse Eisenberg and I don't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. The whole time it was Jesse Eisenberg we were listening too and not for a second he tried to change his voice to make a unique one for Blu. It was suitable but we will never know what someone else would have brought to the table. On the other hand Anne Hathaway was incredible as voice of Jewel. Not for a second it felt like Anne she really amazed me. Will I.M & Jaime Foxx has to be my favorites next, there combo was great along with George Lopez. Leslie Mann was good but Rodrigo Santoro's character was weird and very amateurish nerdy. Besides the first and last dancing song I personally didn't enjoyed other numbers in the movie. Overall, Rio is a fun entertainer for kids and families.

Adventures of Bird Blu!

[spacespidy · 8/10 · 11 April 2011]

It's story of how love compels to break comfort zone and discover our new self. Visually stunning Rio is brilliant stroke of writers to add magic to adventures and love tale of endangered bird "Blu". Story wouldn't have been same with Samba, carnival, beaches, mountain views, Tram buses if it was not Rio.

The whole story revolves around Tamed Blu and wild Jewel. Jesse Eisenber and Anne Hathaway did their best voice acting. Apart from Blu and Jewel there are plenty of characters which build story effectively and added plenty of rib tickling moments.

Even though story is simple and very much predictable with obvious ending, still story survives to tell a tale of love despite differences. Brilliant animation in 3d will take you on Journey of adventure and fun!

A must watch for its animation!

A funny, hearty movie. The music is especially worthy of notice.

[Ryan_MYeah · 7/10 · 25 April 2011]

What is it that drives audiences to a movie? Word of mouth? Arguably, yes. Box office intake? Rarely. Awards Buzz? Sometimes. But advertising is the main thing that drives audiences to a new movie. I must confess that Rio, today's film I'm reviewing, suffers from the same problem as the earlier released Paul, advertising that makes it look like crap. And even though it wasn't as good as Paul, Rio is a solid movie with heart and humor.

It centers on the last male of his kind, a spix's macaw named Blu (Voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), currently in the ownership of a book shop keeper in Minnesota, who's brought by a Brazilian scientist to Rio De Jeneiro on the eve of Carnivale to mate with the fierce Jewel (Voiced by Anne Hathaway), the last female of the species. But they are kidnapped by smugglers who seek to sell them for countless amounts of money, but they escape into the jungle to make it back to their homes, and avoid the clutches of the smugglers' malicious cockatoo, Nigel (Voiced by cast standout, Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement).

As far as plot goes, the movie's not that special. The film has a certain romantic adventure quality to it, blended with the signature humorous touches of Blue Sky Studios, the film's producers. Is it predictable? Yes, and it's a bit kiddy at times, but Rio makes up for that with it's emotional touch, impressive voiceovers, and wit. The film, with it's clever one-liners and droll sight and sound gags, quite often got a good chuckle from myself.

I must also give praise to the crew who designed the film with the utmost technical quality possible. The movie looked and sounded great. The Blue Sky animators delivered a gorgeous multicolored palette, while Randy Thom did well with the film's sound effects and mix. But what ultimately sticks with me the most about Rio is the songs and score.

The music makes great use of percussive beats, guitars and maracas that are are incredibly catchy, something that's apparent right when the movie begins. The film's composer is John Powell, fresh off an Oscar nomination for what I consider to be 2010's best movie score, and one of my new top ten favorite scores, How to Train Your Dragon, and Rio is yet another outstanding job, so don't be surprised if he makes my year end top five score lineup yet again.

I may have some minor problems with it, but Rio's admirable story telling and movie making methods are enough reason for me to recommend it.

I give it *** out of ****

Nice Artwork, but mediocre characterization

[arthurwitulski · 5/10 · 29 May 2011]

After reading a good review of this movie I talked my wife into going to see it, as I love animation. I wanted to see the artwork and I thought the Brazilian music would be a plus. Well, the first three minutes fulfilled my expectations, but it was downhill from there. The artwork is indeed good in most scenes and breathtaking in one or two. However, the difference between this and a Pixar film is in the story telling and characterization. Whereas an adult can easily watch a film like "Toy Story 3" or "Up" multiple times, in "Rio," the characters really never develop enough depth for you to suspend your disbelief. Tulio's bird imitation are meant to be comic, but instead are ridiculous. Linda is the shy introvert girl from Minnesota who predictably asserts herself when the going gets rough. I never understood why two of the major characters in Rio are not Brazilian, but instead talk like two Home Boys from the Bronx. Well, you get the idea. There is one character that succeeds admirably, and that is the villain, an evil bird named Nigel. But all told, this film is fine for kids, but I would not recommend it for adults.

There is something missing in Rio

[Gordon-11 · 21 May 2011]

This film is about a blue macaw who is brought to Rio de Janeiro for mating. Things go wrong when some bandits steal the birds for the black market.

"Rio" is set in the exotic Brazil, amidst the world famous carnival. However, the film does not capture the same uplifting spirit. The plot is tiring and boring, with little to arouse or maintain viewers' interests. There is only enough excitement for young kids, but little for adults to enjoy. Sure, the visuals are very good, with great colours and smooth animation. The aerial scenes of Rio de Janeiro is breathtaking, but the visuals alone are not enough to make "Rio" a success. There is something missing in "Rio", and I got bored by it.

Animated fun for the whole family.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 12 April 2014]

Get set for fun, action and adventure. This animated feature is about a domesticated Macaw named Blu(Jesse Eisenberg), who has yet learned to fly. He lives an ideal life with his best friend and owner Linda(Leslie Mann)in a small town in Minnesota. The thought of Blu being the last of his kind goes right out the window, when they discover there is another Macaw living in Rio de Janeiro. Upon arrival in the large and exotic Rio, Blu meets a female Macaw named Jewel(Anne Hathaway); the two are kidnapped by animal smugglers. Coming to the rescue is a group of smooth-talking, street smart city birds. After Blu is able to escape, he now relies on his new friends to help him learn to fly. Thus Blu is now a bird on the move and is able to stay ahead of the kidnappers still in pursuit.

Outstanding animation and color; lively music and comedy for the entire family. Rounding out the talented collection of stars providing voices: Jamie Foxx, Will I Am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez and Wanda Sykes.

Minnesotan Macaw Resists the Tropics

[BabelAlexandria · 7/10 · 16 August 2020]

Seb's Rating: 7 Stars Sienna's Rating: 7 Stars Paul's Rating: 7 Stars

Watched July 2020.

Culture and Flight Film

[RECB3 · 7/10 · 12 October 2023]

This is an alright film for everyone to watch. The storyline had some weak points. The crew could have created the film better. The cast selection was great. They did a splendid job fully committing to their respective characters. Anne Hathaway does an excellent job in every role she plays. This film is full of colour and culture. This film reveals to viewers the strength and wisdom that culture can have. It shows spirit and tradition that viewers can learn and understand. Culture can be good for everyone. This film clearly reveals the limit of culture. This is a fine film for everyone to watch and probably enjoy.

Bird Love and Nerd Love

[freemantle_uk · 8/10 · 8 April 2011]

The Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro is serving as the setting for two films being released this April: one being a full on action film, Fast and Furious 5, the other being a family animated adventure. Rio is that film and shows that the Fox subsidiary Blue Sky Studios is growing from strength to strength.

Blu the Spix's Macaw's (Jesse Eisenberg) early life is tragic, having fledging from his nest too early and been kidnapped by poachers. Luckily he was adopted by a loving owner, Linda (Leslie Mann) as a little girl. 15 years later Linda owns a bookstore in the snowy landscape of Minnesota and Blu becoming a very nerdy bird. A Brazilian ornithologist, Túlio (Rodrigo Santoro) finds Linda and tells her that Blu is the last male of his species and takes them to Rio de Janeiro so the bird could breed. But Blu does not hit it off with Jewel (Anne Hathaway) and matters get worst when poachers take the birds and chain them together. When their escape Blu and Jewel they try and reunite with Linda whilst avoiding being captured by the poachers and their insane cockatoo Nigel (Jemaine Clement).

Rio is a pure formula picture and there are many elements have been in other films, such as Blu being taken from the wild as a chick, the animosity between Blu and Jewel and we all know where it is going to lead, the story of Nigel having a tragic past and being rejected, etc, etc…. But formula does not have to be bad and when done right it can easily lead to an enjoyable film for all the family. Director Carlos Saldanda certainly made a fast paced adventure with a great amount of velvet colour. There is a more old-fashion feel to it, like Disney films and its copycats in the 90s. Pop-culture references are toned down and there are a few musical numbers which is rare in CGI animated features. The animation itself has a similar look to Pixar's particular the human characters, though Túlio looks very similar to the main character in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The animation of the parrots climbing is particularly well done and true to live to anyone who has ever own one.

Much of the humour of the film is kid friendly slapstick as is expected from this type of film and it is done very well. There is enough for parents and adults audiences to keep them entertaining. My personal favourites were the double act Kipo (Robin Thicke) and Marcel (Carlos Ponce) who were the dumb henchmen for the poacher and outsmarted by a cockatoo. They have some of the best lines in the film. But the two characters Pedro the Red-crested Cardinal (will.i.am) and Nico the yellow canary (Jamie Fox) were annoying and pretty stereotypical.

Eisenberg gives a typical nerdy performance as his character is book-smart, but not adventurous at all, preferring to be safe with his owner. Compared to Hathaway she is a feisty, strong female character who wants to explore and distrusts humans. Both learn from each other, for Blu that there is a wider world and for Jewel that not all humans are bad. Clement was funny as he parodies British actors playing psychopathic villains in action films. Though I do question why ornithologists did not question why they had an injured cockatoo considering the species is native to Australia and New Guinea (but this is a minor issue). As well as the bird love in the film there is also some nerd love.

A respectable 7.5/10.

My wife liked the movie but had some problems with it!

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 26 April 2011]

Rio is a good movie. I enjoyed the story, but my wife had a few problems with the movie. The writers and producers really should have talked to some parrot lovers before shooting the movie. My wife had issues with the way they represented parrots: 1. Parrots have 4 toes not 3 2. Never ever feed your parrot from your mouth; a parrot can die from the bacteria in a human's mouth 3. Serving hot cocoa to a bird; stupid!! Chocolate is poisonous to birds; it will kill them. 4. Cockatoos are not villains; they are comedians or love muffins, the toucan should have been the villain, toucans eat little birds in the wild not fruit loops! One can tell my wife wrote the middle of the review. She hopes that some naive owners will not try some of these issues with their parrots. It sent a bad message. The only good thing my wife liked was that they showed poachers in a bad light! In conclusion, a nice ending which was fun and entertaining. I give the movie 7 squawks out of 10.

My favourite movie of the year so far

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 8 April 2011]

That in mind, there is more of 2011 I have yet to see, hence the so far bit, but I absolutely loved this movie after seeing it when it came out today. From the trailers and advertising it looked like a bright, breezy and entertaining animation, and in my mind it was much more than that. And I genuinely mean it when I say it is my favourite of the year so far, even surpassing the outstanding(if somewhat misunderstood) Rango.

What I loved most about Rio was its energy. Rio for me has more energy than any of the Ice Age(from the same team) movies, and its energy is truly infectious at that. Two reasons especially make it so. One is the writing, I wasn't expecting the writing to be this sharp, funny and witty, looking at some of the previous work the writer has penned, while the jokes are plentiful and come by thick and fast. The other is the soundtrack. It has a huge amount of authentic Brazilian flavour and just ripples with zest. I loved the samba and bossa nova rhythms that pulsate throughout, and further fun is to be had in the Busby Berkeley-style beginning and the truly spectacular Carnaeval finale.

The story isn't perhaps original, nor did it need to be, but it is fast-paced, with many entertaining scenes and is very rarely predictable. There is also the obligatory life lessons here which are seamlessly blended without feeling shoe-horned in or preachy. I loved the characters too. Blu is very endearing, and voiced brilliantly by The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg. Jewel is a lovely love interest, and her chemistry with Blu is ceaselessly entertaining and cute. Anne Hathaway previously voiced Haru on the English dub of The Cat Returns. She did a fine job on that, but in Rio she is even better, more understated and less shrill. I equally loved the villainous cockatoo Nigel(who avoids being a caricature and the like and voiced phenomonally by Jermaine Clement) and the constantly drooling bull-dog.

Other than the above components, what also made Rio was its animation, which is simply stupendous. I haven't seen an animated movie in a long while(and I am a huge fan of animation) where the colours in particular are so rich and warm. The characters are also beautifully modelled especially the titular character Blu, and this includes the secondary characters as well, and the sceneries and backgrounds are breathtaking with such a refreshing richness and warmth. In conclusion, a wonderful animated film and my favourite of the year so far. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Blinded by the lovely colors; but not brain dead to disregard plot-boilers

[sashank_kini-1 · 7/10 · 12 April 2011]

Rio is set in a carnival-like atmosphere, orchestrated by vivacious, Broadway-themed routines and sizzling, animally-carnal and sizzling dance sequences. Rio also provides an oeuvre of eccentric characters, which like various ingredients of a taste test titillate the eyes. They also manage to get along a few laughter with all their idiosyncrasies; for example, the drooling dog whose slimy slobber inadvertently comes in hand. Also the colors so brightly razzle-dazzle the screen, along with the synchrony of the dances transported me straight to the visually-arresting, larger-than-life Rio de Janeiro parade. But did the movie, the essence, the fabric stay with me ling after the end credits? Sadly not.

Blu, a precocious, protected young Macaw has been living since his babyhood with Linda, a nerdy, caring librarian and has many tricks under his sleeve, none of them involving flying (since he can't). Their fairytale life is punctuated by Tulia, a devoted ornithologist who after a quick deliberation, takes them to Rio De Janeiro to get the last male of the species (Blu, of course) to be mated with Jewel, a fiery but beautiful and independent female whose principles are islands apart from Blu's. Blu is a timorous, coy but adorable bird who enjoys human companionship while Jewel, akin other wild birds, prefers the dangerous yet sweeping jungles. Both embark on quite an epic, unpredictable journey with a multitude of characters to fit the pieces together.

Blu is perhaps the most drawn out adventure in recent years of animation. Unlike Disney, the movie has a no holds barred approach in its story making, somewhat like Casablanca. I didn't like Casablanca much, though. I thought it to be somewhat of a pastiche. Rio is a hodgepodge of collage, impromptu ideas that sometimes hit, and at others miss the mark. I'm currently getting the sixth season of Top Chef in India where a contestant named Robin too experiments the same way. A splash of colors incorporating into one grand picture, yeah, like Sidney Pollack. But Carlos Saldana is not Sydney Pollack; he's a passionate film-maker who makes entertaining movies. And Rio is quite a blast indeed. But a "dream project" as ascribed by him- not.

Rio has some nebulousness and inconsistencies in the actual vision that the director must've had at first. Throughout the film, characters fly in and out but not all succeed. Linda is gratingly voiced by Linda Mann who along with Radrigo Santoro acts cumbersome almost throughout the course of the movie. Lesley gets too synthetic and cliché in her delivery, while the scenes with Tulio are platitudinous. Rio is quirkily voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, who comes off smoothly in most of his scenes, even with those which lack finesse. Although sometimes the tone may come as calculative, analogous to his SN character and I felt not completely in love with Blu, but he surely enlightens the banality with his volubly theatrical tone. Anne supplies baritone and luminosity to her relentlessly brave Jewel, which complements Blu's nature, s some of the film's most fulfilling moments come when Jewel tries to make Blu fly while Blu helps her walk.

The subordinate entities add luster to the veneer, some in imposing colors, while others Grey and barren. The most promising are the bottle-cap donning canary and the chest-thumping Cardinal, done by Jamie Foxx and Will.i.am chirpily. Ironically, the prime song sung by the singers themselves is auto-tuned and vapid. Also, the screenplay forces them to recite cheesy catchphrases (i.e. "its birds versus monkeys!"). Rafael, the toucan and his hissy but affectionate housewife and their 17 brood do provide some laughs, but I hate when Rafael's actor is asked to iterate inane lines "Sorry, Eva. Can't come home for dinner tonight". Such dialogs really lack impact in movies. Nigel, as the tyrannous has-been performer cockatoo is cartoonish and hilarious (the "Cage tyrant" song had wonderful charm). The monkeys are added impish fun. Luiz as the harmless bulldog is perhaps the most engaging character, wittily written.

The irresoluteness of the film really takes it to a pandering extent where gags are just randomly thrown in to arch out a smile in the faces of young unwitty kids. This is where Disney/Pixar scores one over them as they have sure shot money-making plots but with a touch of heart and maturity. Rio has the heart, lacks the ripeness. And I find it hard to criticize the movie as some moments, including the color-maniacal beginning, are magical. The bumpiness could be smoothened a bit just to add the "Wow!" factor so prevalent in Disney movies (e.g. Ratatouille's awe-inspiring ending). In terms of colors and animation, it's a spectacle. But, as a movie, it is a bit trite and incoherent. Sure summer extravaganza!

Colors and Flying

[TourettesPersonal · 8/10 · 7 April 2011]

The main plot of "Rio", an endangered bird doesn't know how to fly. It sounds a bit predictable and this plot was already used by many movies. But the core of this film is showing the beautiful place of Rio De Janeiro. The filmmaking was great. Colorful visuals, often hilarious, and decent directing.

There is nothing wrong with the voice acting. The main cast, Jesse Eisenber and Anne Hathaway are like the bird versions of them. Jemaine Clement really made his character evil. The rest of the cast, Will.i.am, Jamie Foxx and George Lopez adds more fun to the movie. I just wish Tracy Morgan's character Luiz had more scenes.

The visuals are colorful and very spectacular. It really shows how beautiful Rio De Janeiro is. The flying sequence is indeed breathtaking even if it's in 2D. The problem of the movie is it's not so compelling. The ending seems rushed. We will all know what's gonna happened to this flightless bird. Although the movie has a big heart. The movie is often funny of course.

Overall it's a fun experience. "Rio" is not like Pixar but it's still enjoyable for the whole family. After watching all of those awful recent blockbusters, I think "Rio" is the best movie I've seen this year so far. It could be the studio's best movie yet.

Outstanding Animation, Color, Music and Lots of Fun.

[stuartpiles · 6/10 · 1 May 2011]

This is a film that is very unusual. It has color and backgrounds unequaled in current animation. Perhaps in Titan AE you see such bright and beautiful color, and of course Fantasia, but in today's world, now and in the theater, this is it. Also, it is an upbeat musical and very easy to watch and enjoy.

It has a Latin bent to it with the story of a geek male bird who meets a hard nose lady bird from Rio. The plot is fairly straight forward, and somewhat predictable, but the fun, and happiness of this film are in the story, the jokes, the music and the pace. . This story is happy and joyful almost all the way through. There is music and carnival, color and light, jokes and soaring views, birds and more birds, conflict and love, and some surprises too

In 3D it has got to be great, but I saw it in 2D and knew what a gift this one was anyway. There is a joy to life and love here, that few films have. It is a happy musical journey with dancing and fun that everyone can experience. There is no deep sub plot here, just a wonderful time in Rio with some wonderful birds and people..What is unusual is this film made feel very happy. Happy enough to sit through the end titles still tapping my foot to the Latin beat. It is a joy, and I walked out with a big smile on my face.

Colorful and energetic, but ultimately lacking in heart

[gregeichelberger · 5/10 · 16 April 2011]

Director Carlos Saldanha and the other creative minds behind the "Ice Age" franchise, have come up with a vibrant new animal centric CGI effort featuring the colorful birds of Brazil. And even the annoying vocalizations of Tracy Morgan and Will i. am do not detract from the fun - too much.

"Rio," written by Saldanha and Don Rhymer, tells the tale of a dispossessed blue Mackaw, Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, "Zombieland," "The Social Network") captured in Rio de Janeiro transported to the states and found by a little girl, Linda, in Minnesota. She grows up and Blu, used to the domesticated life, is perfectly content until Brazilian ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) arrives to inform her that Blu is the last male of his species.

Guilt-ridden, Linda agrees to accompany Tulio back to Rio to mate her pet to the last female, Jewel (Anne Hathaway, "Love and Other Drugs"). Of course, complications arise when an unscrupulous exotic bird smuggler and his evil cockatoo henchman, Nigel (Jermaine Clement), capture the feathered pair. Like any number of films like this, the mismatched human duo must now unite to save their animal counterparts.

Meanwhile, other supporting characters line up on both sides. Giving aid and comfort to Blu and Jewel include a toucan, Rafael (George Lopez), a canary, Nico (Jamie Foxx), a fat pigeon rapper (Will i.am) and a misplaced bulldog (Tracy Morgan). Joining up with the smuggler is a gaggle of fierce but inept monkeys.

Despite the assistance, the two heroes are ultimately left to save themselves. Flightless and pampered, Blu must also prove himself a worthy companion to the bold and confident Jewel, something that does not come easily.

The artists behind this movie certainly create a wild and brilliant eye-pleasing adventure. The rhythms and hues of this South American escapade are wonderful to behold and the tunes are fairly enjoyable, from Lionel Ritchie to Jamie Foxx to an irritating rap by Will i.am.

The problem is the story. We've seen this domesticated animal returns to their primitive roots premise before in "Madagascar," "The Wild" and, most recently, "Rango." Blu also plays the same old spoiled nerd fish-out-of-water character who somehow learns a lifetime of instinct and savvy in a few minutes in an attempt to capture the unattainable female of the species.

The pacing is frenetic and the human characters take a backseat the the the feathery and furry stars of the picture. That' fine, though, because Linda and Tulio are fairly non-descript, anyhow.

Smaller children will most likely get a big kick from the vast and sparkling colors - especially the Carnival finale. Older kids and adults may chuckle at a few situations, but overall may find the going a bit tedious, particularly when the obligatory bird-brained moral life lessons hit like a splat on the windshield of a freshly washed automobile.