Tripwire Reviews Disney•Pixar’s Coco

A Celebration Of Life In Death

♦ Tripwire’s editor-in-chief JOEL MEADOWS reviews Disney•Pixar’s Coco, out now…

Coco
Directors: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina
Voices: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Jaime Camil

Coco is the latest Disney•Pixar film about young boy Miguel in Mexico who loves music but because his family feels betrayed by music because of the actions of his great-great-grandfather, he is forbidden from playing it. But one day on the Day of The Day, he decides to try and track down his deceased ancestor, the fabled guitarist and singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), so he enters the Land of The Dead. Gael Garcia Bernal voices Hector, a man who is on a mission to make sure that his family on Earth doesn’t forget him so he just disappears from the Land of The Dead. Hector joins forces with Miguel and the end of the film reveals that there is a real connection between the pair.

Unkrich is a very experienced Pixar director as he has directed or co-directed Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc and Toy Story 2 so he is very much a safe pair of hands. This is Molina’s debut as co-director but he will be a name to watch at Pixar as a future director. The story of Miguel, who is searching to find a way to let his family play his music rather than become a shoe maker like the rest of his clan, is well-handled and visually it is a real treat too. The filmmakers have really taken a lot of care and consideration bringing the Land of The Dead to life in a vivid and colourful fashion.

The voice talent is very good: Bratt as the rather arrogant deceased Mexican music star de la Cruz displays a rare aptitude for animation and Garcia Bernal is exceptional too. Gonzalez, who voices Miguel, stays just the right side of annoying as the focus of the film.

Coco has a very sad, emotional conclusion and just like Pixar’s Up, I defy anyone to stay dry eyed at the end. Coco deals with serious issues like death and loss in a very clever and inventive way and after a number of years where Pixar appears to have lost the plot, Coco reminds the viewer of the sort of films that they made their name with. It appears to utilise Mexican culture and customs well too. It has been released at a rather odd time of the year in the UK as school half term isn’t until the first half of February but despite this strange date choice, Coco is a sweet and touching animated film full of life and joy and will no doubt do as well at the UK box office as it has in the US ($200m there alone). Cinemagoers who enjoy quality animation should check this out.

Coco is out in UK cinemas now.

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