Disney has released the review embargo for Pixar’s latest film Coco, with their screening of the finished film at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia in Mexico, and it appears, as ever, that Coco will follow the Pixar path and continue to deliver on the brilliance the brand has continued to produce.
The reviews are, so far, remarkably positive, with The Wrap claiming that “Spirited performances and rich music anchor this imaginative rendering of the Land of the Dead.” Not only this, but they commend the historical representation of the country, stating that the movie “both honors the rich aesthetic heritage of Mexico and keeps these cultural markers from looking like they were merely dusted off and computer-generated for mass consumption.”
The Hollywood Reporter seems to agree claiming the film is “steeped in Mexican culture and folklore [and] the production ranks among Disney-Pixar’s most engaging efforts.” Variety also states that the film works “as a vibrant celebration of Mexican culture,” giving the perfect summation that “in an era when young people are so easily seduced by celebrity, Coco reveals the emptiness of such adulation, poignantly teaching kids to preserve and respect the memory of their elders while reminding them that the source of true creativity is so often personal.”
The reviews were not entirely without criticism however, with Variety writing that there actually was a lack of “originality” comparing it to The Book of Life, and Screen Daily also agreeing that The filmmakers’ clear appreciation of Mexican traditions is commendable [but] it’s harder to applaud the worthiness of that ambition when Coco takes few narrative risks, peddling a simplistic story in which our hero learns pat lessons while failing to undergo any sort of significant inner journey.”
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
Coco is set for release on November 22nd in the States and on January 18th in the UK.
