Since the computer animation explosion, it’s not often that a movie with a truly distinct look makes an appearance. “The Book of Life” has a style based on traditional Dia de los Muertos artwork, which is both elaborate and colorful. It also features a lot of skulls.
I wasn’t sure what to expect walking into the theater. I hoped I’d see a really interesting animated movie. I also hoped that the story would be as cool as the artwork looked in the previews. Sadly, I suspected that it wouldn’t be a hugely popular film in my area, just because people here wouldn’t quite know what to think.
“The Book of Life” is the story of Manolo, Joaquin, and Maria. They live in the same town and are about the same age. The three of them are the best of friends. Maria is the one who gets ideas and convinces the boys to go along with her, which seems to get them into trouble more often than not. The two boys insist that one of them is going to marry Maria when they get older, but which one is going to marry her is up for some debate, depending on which boy you ask.
The three kids catch the eye of Xibalba and La Muerte, who quickly decide to make a wager. They each pick a boy. Whichever one of them picked the boy who marries Maria will become the ruler of the Land of the Remembered. La Muerte is the ruler of the Land of the Remembered as the story opens, while Xibalba oversees the Land of the Forgotten. He’s angry and dissatisfied, and he definitely wants to get a promotion.
Maria, Manolo, and Joaquin end up getting into enough trouble that Maria’s father sends her away to school. Manolo is raised to be a bullfighter, like his father and his grandfather and the many generations of his family before him. Joaquin’s father was a great hero, so, Joaquin joins the army so he can be as brave and revered as his father was. Years later, Maria returns to the town, which is under threat from the bandit Chakal. Both Manolo and Joaquin are as enamored of Maria as ever, and they immediately start vying for her affections.
The cast includes Ron Perlman as Xibalba, Zoe Saldana as Maria, Diego Luna as Manolo, and Channing Tatum as Joaquin. You will also find voiceover work from Danny Trejo, Ice Cube, Hector Elizondo, Placido Domingo, Gabriel Iglesias, and Cheech Marin. While Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, and Cheech Marin’s voice are all very readily recognizable, you may have to watch the credits to figure out who the rest of them are. The voice acting is fantastic in the movie. Each character is distinct and recognizable, and the one-liners are spread out generously amongst the cast. There’s no one character who gets to be the funny man all the time, and that’s a nice change of pace for almost any movie.
“The Book of Life” isn’t a scary movie. It doesn’t follow in the tradition of animated fare like “The Nightmare Before Christmas” or “ParaNorman”. There aren’t typical horror elements involved in this story. Instead, it’s a colorful and entertaining look at how another culture views death. What may be most shocking to the uninitiated is that in this case, death isn’t considered frightening. Loved ones are still greatly missed, they’re still being mourned, but their lives are also being heartily celebrated.
Any kid who can handle watching “The Last Unicorn” or “Hercules” should be able to watch “The Book of Life” without any problems. I specifically mention “The Last Unicorn” because a particular sequence in this movie brought to mind the character design of the Red Bull. There are some similar elements, but if the Red Bull inspired any of that character design, then it was truly inspiration. As the audience, you will get to see the Land of the Forgotten, and it is most definitely not a fun place to be. Also, Xibalba, being who he is, isn’t just covered in skulls, even the pupils of his eyes are tiny little skulls.
Still, “The Book of Life” is bright and candy-colored. It’s a very visually appealing movie that may inspire you to want to check out some Mexican folk art. Certainly, it speaks to the possibility of making animated movies much more visually diverse then they have been. There is still room for style in animation, regardless of how that animation is created.
The plot unfolds as a story within a story, and there are hints at still another layer that make the plot that much more interesting. It’s a bit of a romance, although, there are also bullfights and bandits, plus ghosts. It also doesn’t devolve into mush.
Maria is a worthy and interesting young lady. She is intelligent and fierce, and she doesn’t just do everything the men around her tell her to do. Maria has her own ideas about what she wants to happen, and how, and she’s not afraid to be her own catalyst to ensure that things go her way. It’s nice to see a woman who doesn’t have to be a wilting princess. As a matter of fact, Maria studied fencing and is better at it than at least one of the heroes.
Following your own heart is one of the big themes of “The Book of Life”. Each of the three main characters has ended up having their lives dictated by others. They know that they aren’t happy, but some of them have to take some time to figure out why. They have to decide what they want in a little bit of a rush, but then, the movie can really only run so long.
As for the parents and adults in the audience, there’s plenty for you to enjoy, too. They do some great things with music in the soundtrack. Many of the songs are covers of at least a couple of the best-loved angst-fests of the 90s, and there are several tracks in there by Paul Williams (yes, that Paul Williams, he of Phantom of the Paradise fame). The music that was selected for certain scenes added tremendously to the comedy and had me regretting taking that sip of soda right then, thanks.
“The Book of Life” is entertaining and original. It’s very much worth viewing. So, if you’re hesitating because it looks so different from the other animated movies or because you think it looks a little creepy, stop being afraid and just go and see it already. You can thank me later.