The Book of Life (2014)


Halloween is a typical holiday where things tend to be a bit on the scary side. Then there's the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday similar to Halloween, but with a more remembrance and focus on those who are gone from the world. And Hollywood is known for releasing films that are focused on Halloween; not so much on the Day of the Dead. Enter “The Book of Life”, a great animated film that is perfect for the season. We need more films like this, and hopefully, in the wake (no pun intended) of this movie's release, we will see more soon. Though the film does haves some issues, they are minor to say the least. “The Book of Life” is an extraordinary animated film that will hopefully gain younger audiences to learn more about the holiday known as the Day of the Dead.
The plot involves a love triangle between three people. We have Manolo (Diego Luna), a bullfighter who wants to be a musician, and Joaquin (Channing Tatum), an egotistical soldier but has a right mind for the people. Together, they are in love with Maria (Zoe Saldana), and try to win her heart. This is all part of a wager between two spirits named La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), to see who will marry Maria first. Even if that means Manolo will die and attempt to travel to The Land of the Remembered to win Maria's heart.

“The Book of Life” is a fantastic animated film that needs to be seen.

The story is simple, yet there are a lot of hints and connections to Mexican and Spanish fantasy stories. The only downside to the story is that it can be predictable, and some of the dialogue is pretty cheesy at times. Also, there are some unexplained story elements that either are rushed by or are completely forgotten. This is because there are some plot holes that don't make sense, and the story can get a little cliched at times. For instance, wouldn't the the fantasy realms be affected by this wager? It's never fully explored.

The acting is great, as there really isn't the traditional stereotype of Mexican culture. From Luna to Saldana, and even del Castillo and Perlman, everyone does a great job with what they are given. The only criticism with the acting is that Tatum can be a little over the top, but it works within his character. It's also great to see Guillermo del Toro producing the film, as he is does have the connection for this type of story to be told: a sort of Mexican fairy tale that was explored in darker depth with 2006's “Pan's Labyrinth”.

The editing provides itself with some nice pacing and a good running time of an hour and a half. Everything moves smoothly and keeps the viewer interested. The only problem is that the fantasy stuff that was marketed doesn't appear until near the end of the film, but it is worth the wait.

The music is absolutely fantastic in its score; while the pop songs do get somewhat annoying, it's not unlike other animated features in recent years. And they are few and far between.

However, there is one thing that makes the movie stand out above everything else. And that is the animation.

The studio Reel FX Creative Studios has created some of the most brilliant looking animation in years prior. This is because Jorge R. Gutiérrez, the film's director, is a well-known animator, and his simplistic style is clearly shown here. The backgrounds are bright and colorful, and really stand out, making the movie a feast for the eyes. The characters are brilliantly designed; having a strong connection to the design of wooden puppets or dolls. This is one of the best looking animated films that definitely shows off the capabilities of what animation can do. It's brilliant, it's creative, and overall, it's just a blast to look at.

Now, after this film came out, in 2017, Pixar released a film with similar concepts called “Coco”. While this and “Coco” are very similar in story concept, both are different in their execution. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, but at the end of the day, both should be recognized for their own original ideas.

In conclusion, “The Book of Life” is a fantastic animated film that represents the Day of the Dead very well, and that audiences will definitely get some enjoyment out of watching it.

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