Pixar have taken audiences into space, beneath the sea, and into the mind of a little girl. Where next? Well, in Coco, they take us into the Land Of The Dead.
Set in Mexico, an aspiring young musician named Miguel wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. However, his family have a baffling but deep-rooted ban on music. On Dia de Muertos (the Day of The Dead), Miguel defies his family... and ends up in the Land Of The Dead. He has until sunrise to get back to the land of the living or be lost forever. Teaming up with a lovably dopey dog called Dante and a charming trickster named Hector Rivera, Miguel must travel through to find an ancestor to give their blessing. However, in his search, he learns some long-buried truths about his family history.
It really should go without saying, but the film looks amazing. The real-world scenes in Mexico look almost photorealistic in places, whilst the bright and technicoloured Land Of The Dead is an absolutely sumptuous feast for the eyes. There's some very funny sight gags involving some of the skeletons, and there's a lot of interesting facts given about Mexican culture in general (such as the alebrije) and the festival of Dia de Muertos in particular (such as the memorial picture altars known as ofrendas).
Michael Giacchino's score uses traditional mariachi themes to help evoke the Mexican atmosphere, whilst the stand-out song is 'Remember Me' (written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who won an Oscar for 'Let It Go' from Frozen). 'Remember Me' is used several times throughout Coco- as a major celebratory set-piece, as a love song, and as a poignant reminder of the past.
The voice cast is really good, with young actor Anthony Gonzalez taking the main role of Miguel. Gael Garcia Bernal is strong as the charming Hector, determined to get back to the land of the living by any means necessary (even dressing up as Frida Kahlo!), whilst Benjamin Bratt adds a level of suave slickness as Ernesto. Alanna Ubach is great as the cantankerous Mama Imelda, Miguel's ancestor on the other side, whilst there's a lovely turn by Edward James Olmos as a spirit on the cusp of being forgotten, which provides one of the film's most moving moments.
Whilst the film may look bright, there's a darkness to it that mightn't be suitable for the very young. When you discover the truth about Miguel's family, things take a pretty dark turn (which I personally loved, and which made me almost gasp). The one thing the film didn't make me do, however, was cry; Pixar have a habit of being able to get me right in the feels (the end of Toy Story 3, and the first ten minutes of Up, for example). But I didn't have that kind of connection to Coco.
That isn't to take away from the frankly amazing work done by an amazingly talented team who work painstakingly to bring this world to life. A definite highlight in the Pixar filmography.
Rating: 4 outof 5
Tez
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