Coco – ICM Film Review

Coco is the latest animated film from Disney Pixar and it tells the story of a little boy named Miguel. Miguel is an aspiring musician confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music and he comes to find himself trapped in the land of the dead. For him to get home he must receive a blessing from his great-great-grandfather and legendary singer, Ernesto De La Cruz.

First off, there’s been a lot of accusations floating around the internet due to the film being set during Mexico’s day of the dead festival. Accusations that Pixar have ripped off 2014’s Book of Life and quite frankly I think it’s absurd! There are undeniable similarities there, but just think about how many Christmas films are released each and every year. They might all be set around the same festival holiday, but no two are the same. So now we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, let’s get down to what really matters. Is Coco worth your time, should you check it out?

Absolutely! I mean at a time where certain people wish to build a wall around the very foundations of Mexico, here we have a film that depicts the country to be rich and full of culture. It’s a celebration, embracing all that is good about Mexico and the Mexican people. The timing is impeccable, Coco is made all the more poignant because of how relative it is to today’s world. Now I don’t think for a second that this was intended, after all, the film has been in production for quite some time. But you do have to admit, it sure has worked out well for Pixar.

Everything you’ve come to expect, it’s all there in spades with the film looking absolutely drop dead gorgeous. For me there were moments of genuine awe where I could feel myself shifting a little further back in my seat, becoming more and more immersed in this quirky and colourful world as it unfolded before me. There’s plenty of Pixar Easter eggs to be spotted along the way too. I noticed a couple early on into the film, but I wouldn’t mind betting there was still loads I missed.

The film does a great job of appealing to both children and adults alike and when you think about it the film actually deals with some pretty heavy subject matter. In true Pixar fashion though it finds a way to make it more easily digestible for younger minds without coming off as flat out patronising. Pixar have done it again as Coco manages to be delightfully charming, visually stunning and it definitely pulls at those heartstrings on numerous occasions.