Blu-Ray Review: HD Amplifies Strengths of Hit Family Film ‘Rio’

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CHICAGO – Blue Sky Studios’ “Rio” feels nearly designed for Blu-ray as the film’s strengths are amplified by the world of HD video and sound. With bright colors and Brazilian music, it’s easier to get sucked into the world of this so-so family flick, and a large number of special features makes it easier to overlook the unsatisfactory nature of the actual movie. The important thing is that the little ones in your family will be captivated by the talking, dancing birds with the colorful plumage, especially in 1080p.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

When I think of the crime-ridden streets of Brazil and the sexually-charged world of Carnivale, my mind doesn’t dream up G-rated family storytelling but maybe that’s why I don’t make movies. The team behind the “Ice Age” movies were clearly trying to find as colorful and vibrant a setting as possible and there are very few places more over-the-top than Rio de Janeiro.

The most confusing thing for the little ones in your family is likely to be that there’s no character in the movie named “Rio” although perhaps you can convince them that the format Blu-ray is named after the protagonist Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a rare blue macaw who mistakenly ends up in Minnesota instead of in the jungles of Brazil where he was born. As Blu is domesticated and raised by bookstore owner Linda (Leslie Mann), he learns how to fist bump and open the lock on his cage but he never learns how to fly. Naturally, “Rio” will be a story about an awkward bird who learns to find his wings. It’s one of the most timeless kid movie archetypes — spread your wings and fly.

Rio
Rio
Photo credit: Fox

The lesson this time will take the involvement of Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro), a scientist who comes to Linda and tells her that he needs Blu to mate with Jewel (Anne Hathaway) to save the species and it has to happen in Brazil. Before Linda and Blu can say “Ole,” they are separated and both birds are captured by smugglers, who are helped by an evil cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement). Chained together, Jewel has to drag Blu around town as they try to evade evil marmosets and become friends with a loud Toucan (George Lopez) and some comic relief in the form of Nico (Jamie Foxx) and Pedro (will.i.am), two characters who exist solely to give their voice actors a chance to sing and sell some singles to wee ones. A bulldog voiced by Tracey Morgan pops up near the end but you may be too drowsy by then to notice.

Rio was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 2nd, 2011
Rio was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 2nd, 2011
Photo credit: Fox Home Video

“Rio” looks incredible in HD as the best thing about the movie are the bright, beautiful colors of the piece. It may have been 3D in theaters but I think it actually looks better at home in good old-fashioned 1080p. From Blu’s blue plummage to Pedro’s bright red to Nico’s yellow, “Rio” looks incredible. The script is a bit lackluster but the visuals carry the film in HD. The script may be paint-by-numbers but the beautiful colors make that fact easy to ignore.

It doesn’t hurt to have a boatload of special features as well, including everything from behind-the-scenes featurettes to bonus levels of “Angry Birds Rio.” Your kids will likely just want to watch the movie over and over again but grown-up fans of the film can learn quite a bit about how it was made. This is a very strong Blu-ray release for all ages, even if the movie itself is just okay.

Special Features:
o Deleted Scene
o Explore The World Of Rio
o Saving The Species: One Voice At A Time
o The Making Of Hot Wings
o Boom-Boom Tish-Tish: The Sounds Of Rio
o Carnival Dance-O-Rama
o Welcome To Rio Music Video
o Taio Cruz - Telling The World Music Video
o Rio de JAM-eiro Jukebox
o Postcards From Rio
o The Real Rio
o Access to the Rio
o Coloring with Blu App
o BD Live Enabled: Live Extras and Live Lookup
o Pocket Blu
o Digital Copy Of Feature Film

“Rio” features voice work by Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, will.i.am, Rodrigo Santoro, Jemaine Clement, and Tracy Morgan. It was written and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is rated PG and opens on April 15th, 2011.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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