Vivo
RATING
Introduction
By now if you have been following my reviews, you would know my love for the animation genre. And looking at the humongous response we will try and review one animation movie per week. With that I finished watching the new animation film Vivo on Netflix last night. This one is from Sony Pictures and not from Disney as were our recently reviewed animation flicks. So then is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Set in Cuba, Vivo follows the story of a Kinkajou named Vivo who embarks on an eventful journey to deliver a love song written by his old friend. And this is a musical which just makes the story that much more special. The story is vibrant and colourlful but heartfelt at the same time. Now because the story opens in Cuba, the elements in the screenplay representing the Cuvan culture has been integrated really well. Right from the language(it is still English) and the music all give a great vibe of the Cuban culture! Once the drama shifts to Miami, the colours begin to flow and the screenplay gets more vibrant, a nice little contrast between the two cultures. While the twists and turns in the screenplay are cliched where the main protagonist needs to reach from point A to point B, there is thing underlying emotional thread maintained throughout that definitely keeps you invested. There are several heartfelt moments that may force you to shed a tear or two as well. But overall a job well done culminating into an emotional climax that will put a smile on your face. In othet words, the screenplay is a mood lifter.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are pretty well written, they aren’t melodramatic but the emotions are subtley intact. The music is truely the soul of the film as this is a musical. And there are songs with each mood. Very nicely written songs that truely convey the mood of the scenes, the music and the BGM is outstanding. The animation is brilliant with lovely use of colours that are used in the graphics. The director’s chair is shared by two individuals Kirk DeMicco and
Brandon Jeffords and the direction is exceptional. The amount of imagination that the creators bring to the table is truely amazing to watch.
VOICEOVERS
The voiceovers are brilliant as in all animation movies. Zoe Saldana as the voice of Rosa is perfect. Ynairaly Simo as the voice of Gabi might seem a little irritating at the very beginning bit you will start falling in love with her character and the movie unfolds further. Lin-Miguel Miranda as the voice of Vivo is outstanding. He adds a lot of life to the character by his voiceover.
Conclusion
Vivo is a musical animated film that is heartfelt yet it will uplift your mood. Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended.