Courtesy of http://collider.com/the-book-of-life-poster/
Rating: A-
“The Book of Life” is as full of life as the title suggests, and it has the laughs and heart to prove it.
From director and animator Jorge Gutierrez and a coalition of producers including Guillermo del Toro, “The Book of Life” is a beautifully crafted addition to the animated genre and quite possibly the best animated film of the year.
What is truly unique about this film is the subject matter. Never before has a mainstream animated film been wholly focused on exploring the colorful folklores and mythologies of Mexican culture, specifically the Day of the Dead and all the supernatural forces involved.
With most American audiences only experiencing Mexican culture when they go out to eat on Sundays, “The Book of Life” could have failed in engaging an unfamiliar audience. However, under Gutierrez’s perceptive direction, the film strikes the perfect balance between uniqueness and familiarity.
The film begins in a museum where guide Mary Beth (voiced by Christina Applegate) takes a group of stereotypical millennials to a room dedicated to Mexican culture. In honor of it also being the Day of the Dead, she shows the skeptical teenagers the Book of Life, which contains every story ever told. To reach the teens in a meaningful way, she tells them the story of Manolo, Maria and Joaquin, acting as the film’s narrator.
The actual story begins in San Angel, Mexico – which the film declares as the center of the universe – and begins with a love triangle between guitar playing bullfighter Manolo (voiced by Diego Luna), beautiful and headstrong Maria (voiced by Zoe Saldana) and athletic and tough Joaquin (voiced by Channing Tatum). Snuffing out any hopes of real puppy love, Maria is sent away by her father to study abroad in Spain.
Meanwhile, Manolo struggles with being forced into bullfighting (it’s the family business) when he actually just wants to perform, and Joaquin rises high in the military. But upon Maria’s return years later, the triangle quickly forms again.
Rather than sticking with conflicts of the heart, the film goes one step further by tossing in supernatural elements on a fated Day of the Dead when the three main characters are children.
Hot blooded La Muerte, ruler of the Land of the Remembered, and leery Xibalba, ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, make a wager regarding the love triangle. La Muerte bets that Manolo will win Maria’s heart, and Xibalba guarantees Joaquin will emerge victorious. The winner gets to rule the Land of the Remembered forever, which would basically be hosting a fiesta every day. The loser gets banished to the dusty, dark Land of the Forgotten permanently.
Maria’s return to San Angel sets the events of the film into motion. Manolo and Joaquin both try to woo her in their respective ways – singing and being a douche, respectively – and as Xibalba realizes Maria is falling for Manolo, he intervenes by killing Manolo, making Joaquin her only suitor by default.
The story progresses under Mary Beth’s guidance, with the transitions from Manolo in the underworld, Maria and Joaquin in San Angel, La Muerte and Xibalba everywhere, to the museum flowing naturally rather than feeling choppy. In fact, the film is paced perfectly.
However, the pace is not why “The Book of Life” works so well. The film works because it manages to be charming, funny and aesthetically pleasing all at once. But most of all, the film finds harmony in being relatable and whimsical. The human struggles of the characters are surprisingly authentic and serve as a counter to the fantastical, imaginative forces in the film.
The film is also beautifully animated; the Calaveras and other hallmarks of Mexican art are readily infused into every scene. You’ll actually feel like you’ve been transported to San Angel, and you’ll be wanting a sugar skull tattoo to commemorate the visit.
My favorite aspect of the film, though, is the soundtrack. Yes, the fundamental mariachi influence is present, but the filmmakers also incorporate Latin-inspired covers of “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons and “Creep” by Radiohead. And if you’re a fan of westerns or Quentin Tarantino, you’ll also hear a rendition of some classic Ennio Morricone.
If you’re a fan of animated films, “The Book of Life” should definitely be the next one on your list. So, unless you want to end up in The Land of the Forgotten, go see this film.
