Marco (2005)

### "The movie that started it all... Hah! *YEAH BABY!" -*Marco

***Marco*** is an 2005 3D Marcanese-American computer animated action comedy spy buddy film produced by Actors 3D Entertainment, Anaya Animation, and Sony Pictures Imageworks for Columbia Pictures under Sony Pictures Releasing; and was directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, produced by Chris Melendari, and written by Marcus Joshua-Linus from a story by Mark Armand. Featuring the voices of Bill Hader, Will Smith, Emma Stone, Pierre Coffin, Robin Williams, Renee Zellweger, Jason Segel, Sandra Bullock, Jason Sudekis, Julia Sawalha, Danny DeVito, Kristen Bell, Andy Samberg, Mark Ronson, and Ed Helms; the film centers on Marco, a megalomaniacal spy kid who must save the world from two bullies with the help of his friends. *Marco* was released to theaters February 16, 2005 and received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, whom consider it to be one of the best animated films of all time. The film was also a box office hit, grossing a total of $983 million over a $67 million budget.

## Plot

Kind and intelligent but unsuccessful and timid 7-year old spy Marco dreams of one day becoming the world's greatest spy, although many people make fun of him for being just a kid and his lack of espionage skills don't help him at all. So then, he invites his friends and their families over for some huge party in hopes of getting enough popularity, but there's one thing the parents don't fully know about their children: they're actually spies who work for Marco. Suddenly, when two power-obsessive bullies crash the party and attempt to take over the world, Marco must put his self aside and he, along with his friends and his army of little buddies, must find the suspects and track them down for once before their parents return home for another party.

## Why It Rocks

1. Near-perfect animation with very great photorealistic visuals, especially for 2005 standards; also considering it being the first ever computer-animated film from Sony, who would later make itself a big name in computer animation with Sony Pictures Animation. This film also started the legacy of Actors 3D Entertainment and it's also Anaya Animation's first computer animated film.
2. Along with its photorealistic visuals, the film perfectly captures the cartoony nature of Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as *Looney Tunes* and *Tom & Jerry* (maybe it even captures that of Nickelodeon cartoons as well) in such an surprisingly effective way with the characters, especially with Marco.
3. The film has not only one concept, but two: "what would kids do if their parents aren't home?" and "what if kids could be anything adults usually do for a living?" and the film's execution of said concepts is very brilliant, as it's something that both kids and adults would have really imagined. It also takes full advantage of said concepts by adding highly creative elements of science fiction such as Marco's non-lethal weaponry and his several gadgets including the Lightning Freeze Ray, the Fireblaster, the Flying Van, and his Rocket Shoes.
4. What makes this film special in the first place is that the film's actually inspired by the biography of Mark Armand as a kid, he's one of the main people who worked on this film as executive producer and storyboard artist. Also, the fact that this was meant to be a parody of live-action films while also being a satire on religions other than Christianity, the spy/heist genre, and consumerist culture are also quite special too.
	* What's also very surprising about this film is that it took about **6 years** to be produced and managed to be such a great movie, despite its troubled production stages and the infamous Black Friday reel in December 2004.
5. Decent plot that's understandable yet somewhat original: after their huge party gets ruined, Marco and his friends must find the suspects and stop them from taking over the world before their parents return home. Also, the idea of a megalomaniacal kid who becomes a spy is very original even for an animated film.
6. Lovable characters that are highly memorable, especially Marco & his friends:
	* Marco is a very kind & highly intelligent boy with big dreams who started off as a self-centered megalomaniac who only wanted to become popular since everyone rejected him at first for being just a kid who thinks of himself as a top-notch spy, but soon he learns that being popular isn't the real thing after realizing that he has been a complete fraud to everyone, and instead becomes sympathetic towards others' needs and opinions while still trying to be kind to them. However, he is very friendly towards others even if he's very timid about making friends and loves them no matter what.
	* Pepe & Isabella are Marco's two siblings who understand Marco's feelings and are always there to help him whenever he gets sad or depressed. They are also very great examples of protective siblings as they protect Marco from getting bullied by Joe and his henchmen.
	* Kevin & Marlene are Marco's close neighbors who are also sympathetic towards others: Kevin has a good sense of humor and encourages Marco & his friends to never give up even in the hardest of times, and Marlene is a nice and lovely girl who also cares for Marco & his friends.
	* Joaquin & Emiliano and the kids make great comic reliefs for this film. However, they also learn the importance of teamwork and help Marco in most of his plans. The other comic reliefs, those being Derek & Brian, Josue, and Melissa, are also very amusing in their own ways yet also being there for Marco.
	* Aileene is someone with beauty and also a good example of the strong independent woman, despite her rejecting Marco at first for supposedly cheating on her and stealing her anime book by accident. But deep down, just like Marco, she is also unsure of herself and doesn't get around people too much; but after Marco saves her life, they start to accept each other for who they are despite having a weak relationship prior to the film's climax scene. She also tries to be kind towards others especially with Marco.
	* Pohlino at first used to become Pepe's rival who sold ice cream just for Joe & Alondra's personal greed, but later he becomes friends with Marco & his gang after being interrogated by Alondra and decides to help them rescue Marlene & Aileene.
	* The other characters, such as Fabi, Kimberly, Bradley, and Meleene, are also very nice and likable.
7. Also, the dynamics between the characters, such as those of Marco & Pepe and Joaquin & Emiliano, are very amusing yet cool to see as they always bond with each other no matter what happens to them.
8. Excellent, fast-paced action scenes that almost perfectly resemble the *James Bond* films as well as other spy classics, such as the flea market scene, the part where Marco steals the Mega Gun, and especially the film's climax scene in which Marco & his friends rescue Marlene & Aileene from Joe's escape pod.
9. It has really great morals about never giving up, the importance of family and friends, opening your heart towards others, accepting people for who they are, being yourself rather than someone else, telling the truth, caring about others, and teamwork. The film's message about violence not being the solution to everyday problems is somewhat well handled; and it's message concerning popularity is very well done, as the film implies that you don't have to be the most popular or the best in order for people to accept you as someone good and who truly cares about them. This film also makes the point that if we gain a mutual understanding of each other with God's help, then we would become much better people.
10. The film isn't even afraid to show Christian morals and values in a children's comedy film, and fully respects Christian culture while also being an animated film for both Christians and non-Christians alike; this would also be a more covered topic in *Marco 3.*
11. Very funny, hysterical if quirky comedy that appeals to both kids and adults, such as:
	* The flea market scene in which Kevin goes after Marco & his friends while chasing Joe & Alondra in some electric shopping cart *very slowly.* This is also a constant gag throughout the film.
	* The scenes where Joaquin & Emiliano do funny things: one great example would be when they attempt to hit some piñata despite their short stature and only later for said piñata to fall down on Emiliano, but he forgets to grab the candy inside. Another great example would be the scene where Joaquin & Emiliano clumsily launch a toy rocket towards Marco.
	* The scene where Marco declares that there would be a huge party: he stated that the party would be the world's biggest, but the next night said party only consisted of people he knows since Marco hadn't handed out invitations across the world.
	* The security systems scene is perhaps the most hilarious scene in the film, as Marco makes several failed attempts at defeating Joe in order to get back the Mega Gun while cleverly capturing Hanna Barbera-esque action.
	* Pohlino's ice cream-related gags are also funny, most notably the part where Marco & his friends assemble Flying Van II saying **"Ice cream time!"**
12. Amazing and catchy soundtrack composed by Heitor Pereira and Mark Ronson. Among the songs that stand out the most are "Highway To Heaven", "Don't Believe Me, Just Watch", "Crazy Maniac", and the film's iconic theme song.
13. The villains are very entertaining: Joe is hilarious and has memorable lines while Alondra makes for an intimidating if crazy main antagonist. Their dynamic is very funny yet amazing and their motives are understandable, since both were rejected from their former friends and their parents constantly forget about their birthdays. However, unlike Marco, we also see their dark side in which they wanted to take over the world just for the sake of villainy and them being the ones who bullied Marco and framing him for supposedly cheating on his friends, which is true since Marco wasn't a fully-fledged independent spy as he mentioned earlier in this film.
14. Very heartwarming and sad moments throughout the film:
	* The scene where Marco saves Marlene & Aileene from Joe's escape pod is very touching yet intense for the film's climax scene.
	* The scene after that when Marco & Aileene apologize and hug each other is very heartwarming and cute, but also very sentimental since Aileene was the one who left him after realizing that Marco's been a fraud only for her to recognize Marco as the one who saved and cared for her in the first place. Also, the part where Aileene rejects Marco for lying to her is downright tearjerking, as that forced Marco to go back to the self-centeredness that defiled all his life, as he was convinced that being nothing was the only thing he could be in life.
	* The part where Marco gets covered in tears while seeing his grandparents getting buried via his mother's VHS tape is perhaps the most tearjerking scene in the whole entire film, since Marco never met his grandparents before.
	* Marco's backstory is very sad, as he gets constantly mistreated and rejected by some people for being just a kid with big dreams of becoming a well-renowned spy, and also the fact that he has been diagnosed with several health issues like eczema. Also, his interactions with the other characters such as Pepe, Kevin & Marlene, and Aileene are very emotional. The subplot regarding Marco's relationship with his parents can lead to rather sweet moments too.
	* Joe & Alondra's backstory was also arguably sad since no one remembered them and not even their own parents, which led them to have this desire of taking over the world just for the sake of villainy as mentioned above; especially with Alondra, as she used to be Pepe's girlfriend who only wanted him to be with her despite Pepe's sheer refusal in favor of Marco & his friends.
	* The "Dumpling King" scene can be considered both funny and cute at the same time; it even spawned a meme of its own.
	* The "I Will Go Flying No More" scene where Marco goes through some mental breakdown after realizing that he isn't an experienced spy as Joe & Alondra told him is both sad and somewhat funny at the same time. The song is about growing up, realizing that all the stuff you've believed before is a lie and that life is depressing.
15. The voice acting is superb, with an ensemble cast of Will Smith, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Sandra Bullock, Danny DeVito, etc. and even the supporting cast is strong. However, Bill Hader makes a particular standout for voicing Marco in this film.
16. The script for the film is very entertaining and well-written, as it has several hilarious quotes, clever dialogue lines, and lots of great pop culture references that both kids and adults would get.
17. The Camp Austin, Field Day, Nativity, and the North Houston wedding scenes are highly memorable.
18. Very entertaining and now iconic scenes such as the Galveston opening scene, the part when Marco poses in front of the moon, the scene where Marco slams the bedroom door, and the "Marco Pop" scene in which Marco does the Michael Jackson dance.
19. The film subverts most clichés while mixing in various elements from timelines or outside cultures with the characters to make up very hilarious moments, such as Kevin practicing karate, pop music being played in the story, and when Marco sleeps after his family & friends urge him to "bite" the cake to which he smacks it instead.
	* It also subverts overused clichés such as the overprotective parent, buddies separate in the middle only to reunite by the third act, the popular kid, fake out death, and dead mom tropes that have been done to death so many times in a very surprising way.
20. The film started the much-beloved *Marco* franchise, which spawned 3 sequels, a spin-off, two TV shows, and more. It introduced us to Joaquin & Emiliano and the kids, who would later become the most popular characters in Marcanese animation and have their own 2018 spinoff film.
21. It also introduced us to directing duo Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, who would later make great animated feature films such as *Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, The Lego Movie,* and the award-winning *Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.*
22. The film pays a huge homage to *James Bond*, *Mission: Impossible, Spy Kids, Men In Black,* and other iconic spy movies. The film also has clever pop culture references to many blockbuster hits such as *Star Wars, Back To The Future, Jaws, Ben-Hur, Grease, The Matrix,* and *Spider-Man* as well as popular animated films like *Toy Story, Shrek, Aladdin, The Emperor's New Groove, The Prince Of Egypt,* and *The Nightmare Before Christmas.*
	* There's even references to manga/anime culture such as *Astro Boy* and the *Tekken* series; videogame franchises such as *Super Mario, Sonic The Hedgehog, Donkey Kong, Crash Bandicoot, Mega Man,* and *PacMan;* cartoon television shows such as *SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry,* and *The Simpsons;* music icons such as Michael Jackson, Brittney Spears, Madonna, and Elvis Presley; and one brief scene where Marco & Pepe watch *Wheel Of Fortune,* which is owned by Sony Pictures Television.
23. These quotes spawned so much memes and will never get old:
	* **"YEAH BABY!"**
	* **"You've got to be kidding me...."**
	* **"BOOYAH BABY!"**
	* **"Ha ha ha, very funny"**
	* **"It's *showtime!*"**
	* **"Ah! Shame on you, fish!"**
	* **"I AM THE DUMPLING KING! HAHAHA!"**
	* **"Get ROOOOOAS....TED!"**
	* **"Uh oh... this wasn't as good as I thought"**
	* **"Well, that sucks"**
	* **"Hey, anyone got some pops?"**
	* **"Oh oh..."**
	* **"I will put you all in the coffin"**
	* And of course,,, **"*Whoa!*"**

## Bad Qualities

1. The character designs look a tad bit simple despite them being cool.
2. The film has too many pop culture references and some product placement such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, M&M's, Google, Capri-Sun, Kool Aid, AirHeads, Church's Chicken, IHOP, and Walmart; which is arguably two ongoing problems with the *Marco* movies.
3. Some suggestive humor albeit it being funny, such as in the flea market scene where a couple get their pants pulled off and when Marco notices some lady with a bikini in one of his world domination presentations.
4. Despite the message about violence not being the solution being decently executed, there are some instances in which Marco uses lethal weaponry such as missiles and dynamite explosives to defeat Joe, which comes off as rather ironic.
5. Joe & Alondra could get a bit unlikable at times despite them being funny.
6. The infamous Black Friday reel that never got to see the light of day.

## Reception

### Box office

In the United States and internationally, *Marco* grossed $547 million. On Marco Island, *Marco* grossed $436 million for a worldwide total of $983 million against a $67 million budget, making it a box office smash-hit at the movies. Marco was released to theaters along with *Son Of The Mask, Constantine,* and *Diary Of A Mad Black Woman* the following week. Reaching #1 at the box office, *Marco* became the highest-grossing animated film of 2005, the 2nd highest-grossing film of 2005, and one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time.

### Critical reception

*Marco* received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a "Certified Fresh" rating of 100% based on 75 reviews, with an average rating of 9.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Highly original and filled with remarkable humor and heart, *Marco* is a state-of-the-art animated masterpiece that your family and 'buddies' would want to see again and again" On Metacritic, the film got assigned a weighted average score of 98 out of 100, based on 89 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, being one of a few Actors 3D films to gain that score.

## Trivia

* *Marco* was the first feature-length computer animated film made by Sony, as well as Anaya Animation and Actors 3D Entertainment.
* This film spawned so many memes, became the most bestselling DVD/VHS of 2005, and became the most popular animated movie of all time.
* In one brief scene of the film, Marco says that his favorite color is yellow and Pepe's favorite color being red.
* Paramount Pictures and Lionsgate were originally going to distribute this film, but later Sony gained the rights to the film in 2004 after too many problems with the film's production stages since 1999.
* Pohlino's ice cream truck and La Cucaracha would be featured on most Anaya Animation films and become the most iconic vehicles of this film, aside from the Marcomobile.

## Taglines

* "Superspy, superkid"
* "A spy movie with a mind of its own"
* "This kid already knows what he's been up to"
* "Meet Little James Bond"
* "Prepare to get thrilled"
* "Dream big"
* "Get ready for some blast"
* "Don't believe the critics, just watch..."
* "The whole world needs this guy"
* "Do you think your children are smarter than you? Check this out"
* "It's all about... ME"