Harmless family fun, but for such a hyped about promising film from a top animation studio, is slightly disappointing.

Rating: 6/10 (6 April 2011)

Rio Review:
Over the past few years, the standard for animated films has been set so high by films like How to Train You Dragon, Toy Story 3, Rango, Tangled and Despicable Me.
Sadly, Rio cannot meet the standards of any of the films mentioned above. This is because everything in Rio is so common in films, it is almost cliché; the geeky guy who tries to pull a girl, the interrupted kisses, awkward humour, the cheesy moral at the end. However, despite this, there are some moments where Rio genuinely looks incredible, and the colours and vibrancy puts a smile on your face.
The story is very similar to Rango at the beginning, but not for long:
Blu, a rare macaw, is accidentally transported from Rio to the USA, where he is found and kept by caring owner Linda. However, years later, a man called Tulio comes to tell Linda that Blu is very rare and the only remaining bird of its kind is back in Rio. So - with seemingly little thought - Blu goes back to Rio to mate with Jewel (the other macaw of its kind), and this is where all the unoriginal humour comes in when he is trying to pull Jewel.
However, in some parts, the film sparks back into life, with an extravaganza of colour, best viewed in 3D. Also, Rio's graphics are very good, and the 3D is possibly the best use of 3D I have ever seen. But Rio is let down by unoriginal humour, cliché villains, and a lazy plot. And, Rio isn't a very likable film - kids are not going to go on about it for weeks after watching it, and Rio merchandise will not be on the top of Birthday and Christmas lists, unlike most kids films. It is almost as if it is a shrine to Brazilian born Carlos Saldanha's - the director - hometown.
Summary: Harmless family fun, but for such a hyped about promising film from a top animation studio, is slightly disappointing.