ViewGuide

Created Aug 09, 2011 01:03PM PST • Edited Aug 11, 2011 06:06AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   Sporting plenty of color, and a few decent musical numbers, Rio tells the story of a domesticated blue macaw named Blu (voice of Jesse Eisenberg) is returned to Rio to mate with Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway), the only surviving female of his species. The subsequent fish-out-of-water story results in Blu meeting colorful characters in Rio, trying to evade poachers, and preparing for Carnival.

   While mildly amusing at times, the film seemed to be more of an opportunity for some of today’s biggest stars to voice a character, playing it safe with the storyline, and serving as a youth oriented tourist commercial for Rio. The wacky animals, hip cultural references, and stylish songs make Rio seem more like Disneyworld, than the crime ridden, and mostly impoverished city it really is.

   But, in an era when it’s sometimes confusing for parents to decide which movies are ok for kids to watch, this stands out as easily digestible entertainment that won’t traumatize the younger kiddies. Although made by the same creators as Ice Age, adults will probably find this flick a bit more geared for the younger crowd, whereas the Ice Age films had much more savvy humor that many adults, including myself, enjoyed.

4. Acting

   OK 2.5

   It seems like everybody got a chance to have a voice in this film, with nobody really standing out. The days of the great “voices” of cartoons seem over.

5. Male Stars OK 2.5

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

10. Film

    OK 2.5

11. Direction OK 2.5

    Passable entertainment, but I don’t think I’d ever watch it again if it were on TV.

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music Good 3.0

    Some of the musical numbers were catchy, especially the samba music.

14. Visuals Good 3.0

    Beautiful colors abound, and the technology that allows for detail and flexibility in animation than 10 years ago was in full use.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.3

17. Sex Innocent 1.3

    Birds kissing..nothing to worry about

18. Violence Gentle 1.3

    Some kidnapping scenes may be a little scary for young kids

19. Rudeness Polite 1.3

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.7

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.7

23. Biological Surreal 2.7

24. Physical Surreal 2.7