Rio (2011)

Director: Carlos Saldanha

When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with the bird of his dreams.

Don’t get me started on animals being captured from their paradise for the sake of becoming pets, cooped up in cages or tanks just to be looked at. But that’s an argument for another platform, and not what this movie is about.

Sure, the movie starts off with blissful birds in their tranquil environment being captured, but the film revolves around Blu, a blue macaw who was intended for pet stores, but was found by Linda instead, and he became her friend and not merely a pet – as pets should be.

One day, Linda is approached by Professor Tulio, who claims her Blu is the last male of its kind, and he has the last female of their kind – named Jewel – so he wants them to mate. Initially reluctant, Linda finally agrees.

Once in Rio, both Blu and Jewel are stolen, and now an action-packed, funny adventure begins as Linda and Tulio must do everything in their power to find them, while Blu and Jewel try everything in their power to escape. (Two adventures for the price of one!) With Blu being too domesticated to fly, it is proving to be a daunting task for the birds, allowing for many funny moments.

There’s much to love about ‘Rio’ with its simple story, bright and colourful animation and cheerful songs, but I do believe it would appeal more to kids. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing; its just my opinion. And yes, we definitely need films like this for the perfect family movie night. I guess I’ve become accustomed to looking for deeper underlying themes in animated films. While there are underlying themes here, they are not as deep as some other animated films. But hey, they can’t all be deep, can they!! So, sit back and enjoy the movie for what it is: entertainment.

‘Rio’ was a box office success, earning nearly $484 million on a budget of $90 million. It received several award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

Would I watch it again? I don’t think so.