Colorful, Vibrant, and Entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (11 August 2013)

The last two blue macaw birds, one a sheltered domestic pet taken from the jungles of Brasil to Minnesota as a young bird and the other a free- spirit yearning to live out in the open, must fall in love and procreate to avoid the extinction of their species. This is not a revolutionary plot, but the magic of Brasil, and most specifically Rio de Janeiro come to life in the film.
From the opening scene you have a perfectly crafted view of Rio, then the opening song Real in Rio full of color and it is truly engaging. Blu, the last male blue macaw, is taken from Rio and brought to the United States. He falls of the truck and young Linda takes him in. Fifteen years later he is domesticated and prefers the indoor life. When it is discovered that he can save his species, Linda and Blu travel to Brasil with Tulio to meet Jewel, the last female blue macaw. They are eventually stolen from their habitat, where the story begins. We follow Blu and Jewel as they try to navigate to different destinations: Blu to Linda and Jewel to the wild. With the help of other birds, and a dog named Luis, we follow their entertaining journey as well as Linda and Tulio's journey to find the two birds.
The visuals were stunning and Rio was perfectly taken from the real world and placed almost identically into the animated world. The music was refreshing and anyone who knows Brazilians or Brazilian culture, specifically that of Rio, will love the inside jokes. I will say that I never had much intention to watch this film, despite enjoying the Brazilian culture. However, I was talked into it and I'm really glad. In a weak year for animated films, Rio truly shined.