Double Feature Review: Rio and Rio 2 4-20-18
WARNING! This review contains spoilers for Rio and Rio 2.
Blue
Sky Studios, located in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a talented computer
animation studio, almost as talented as Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks.
Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation for making almost endless Ice
Age sequels. However, when not working on Ice Age sequels, Blue Sky can
actually show potential. Today, in honor of Earth Day, I will review Rio
and Rio 2, two of their most successful non-Ice Age movies in
years.
Rio
1 is about a Spix's macaw named Blu (Jesse Eisenberg). Blu was captured
by an illegal pet salesman when he was a chick and was shipped to Moose
Lake, Minnesota. One day, a young girl named Linda (Leslie Mann) finds
Blu and keeps him as a pet. Fifteen years later, Linda and Blu work at a
bookstore, and one day, an ornithologist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) enters the
store and tells them that Blu is the last male of his species. He, Linda, and
Tulio travel to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and meet another Spix's macaw,
a female named Jewel (Anne Hathaway). However, Blu and Jewel don't
exactly get along. One day, Blu and Jewel get kidnapped by smugglers and
a cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement). Blu and Jewel escape, but
there's one problem: Blu can't fly. Now he and Jewel, who are now
chained together, have to find a way home, as well as a way to get freed
from the shackles.
There
have been very few animated features, aside from Disney's Saludos
Amigos and The Three Caballeros, that have portrayed Brazil in a
positive light. Director Carlos Saldana, who is part Brazilian himself,
wanted to make an animated movie about the country for a long time, and
boy, did Blue Sky achieve artistically. The designs of the buildings and
scenery are absolutely gorgeous.
The
animation on both the human and animal characters is also incredible,
considering that this is Blue Sky's first film since the first Ice Age
to feature humans.
The songs are also enjoyable, though I wish they could've been longer. Each of them, except for one, seem to get interrupted.
In
conclusion, while Rio may not hold a candle to other computer animated
movies of the 2010s like How to Train Your Dragon, Inside Out,
Zootopia, or Moana, it's still a solid watch that will get kids
interested in Brazil.
In
Rio 2, Linda and Tulio get married and open a bird sanctuary, while Blu
and Jewel have three kids: Tiago, Bia, and Carla. However, Jewel is
concerned that they are becoming domesticated, as she was born and raised
in the wild. Meanwhile, Linda and Tulio discover a feather that may have
belonged to a Spix's macaw! This encourages Blu, Jewel, and their kids,
along with Rafael the toucan, Pedro the red-crested cardinal, and Nico
the canary, to go on an adventure to the Amazon Rainforest. While in the
Amazon, Blu and his family discover an uncharted area populated with
Spix's macaws. Jewel even reunites with her long-lost father Eduardo
(Andy Garcia), but he is skeptical about Blu. Meanwhile, Nigel, who had his
wings broken after getting caught in a turbine in the first film, is now
reduced to a Vaudeville fortune teller. Now knowing that Blu has
returned, Nigel vows revenge, and plans on capturing and killing Blu
with the help of a tamandua anteater named Charlie and a poison dart
frog named Gabi (Kristen Chenoweth).
I
am aware that some people didn't like Rio 2 or found it disappointing, but I think
Rio 2 is important for those who care about the environment. This movie
has a theme about illegal logging. That means people cut down trees to
either make into novelty items or to make room for new shops or
stadiums.
This
is one of the reasons Eduardo in Rio 2 doesn't trust humans: Sometimes,
they build entire projects from the ground up and are unaware
of the consequences.
Preachiness aside, another thing to appreciate about Rio 2 is the gorgeous improved animation and irresistible music.
Also, Kristen Chenoweth is perfect as Gabi the Frog, who is lovesick over Nigel.
And Nigel's performance of 'I Will Survive', under the alias of 'Bob', is spectacular.
Rio
2 also contains the most inclusive non-Ice Age animal cast in a Blue
Sky film to date: The wildlife of the Amazon Rainforest.
I have to say that the turtles during the auditions are funny, even if they are a bit similar to the sloths in Zootopia.
Before I close this review, I would like to list some examples of what kids at home can do to help the environment worldwide.
1. Pick up litter, or trash, outside wherever you go. You'll find it everywhere, from on the ground, in water, and even in trees!2. Put items made of paper, plastic, and metal in recycle bins.
3. Do not use pesticide to get rid of unwanted insects. Pesticide kills bumblebees, and bees are very important animals in our ecosystem. Instead, use neem oil. It looks something like this.
4. Turn off and/or unplug electric devices when you're not using them.
5. This may be tough, but if you can, try to take shorter showers. If that's too much for you, try brushing your teeth with the faucet OFF.
6. If you can, try using fluorescent light bulbs instead of the typical round bulbs. Not only are fluorescent light bulbs cheaper than the round ones, they also last ten times longer! They look something like this.
7. DO NOT put batteries in the trash bin. They contain chemicals that will harm the environment.
In conclusion, while Rio 2 may not appeal to everyone, it's definitely better than the Ice Age sequels.
Rio 1 rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
Rio 2 rating: 3 stars out of 5.
