Rio

Rating : 8/10
Release Date : 8th April, 2011
Time : 96 minutes
Director, Co-writer : Carlos Saldhana; Writer : Don Rhymer; Music : John Powell
Starring : (Voices of) Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathway, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Foxx, Will.i.am, George Lopez, Tracy Morgan, Jeffrey Garcia, Davi Vieira

I had no idea about blue macaw’s prior to this film. Didn’t know they were so funny.

Blu, an originally named blue macaw, is completely domesticated and inseparable from his owner, Linda, who in turn is unabashedly attached to her pet. They live in Minnesota and share a very cozy existence. All that is thrown in turmoil when they find, through Tulio, a bird conservationist, that the species is in danger of extinction and the only hope for proliferating is for Blu to mate with Jewel, a female blue macaw. The only catch is she is based in Rio. And its not only the conservationists who have their eye on the last pair of macaws…


A key strength of Carlos Saldhana, the director of Ice Age, is to create endearing characters. This trait is in full evidence here with Blu, Jewel, Linda, Tulio, Pedro, Nico, Luiz, Rafael and even the ‘baddie’, Nigel, creating a place in our hearts. And setting the film in his hometown ensures some stunning backdrops to the action unfolding on the screen.



Funny situations, witty dialogue abound and lead to several great laugh out loud moments. Blu, for example doesn’t fly & keeps trying to justify this quoting other birds which are flightless. The urge to samba permeates all Brazilian creatures (humans and other animals inclusive) and its only fitting that the climax is during Carneval. And Lionel Ritchie apparently emits the king of mating calls. The music, though, while being nice, is not as brilliant or long lasting as the rest of the film.


Rio, the place always evokes good memories. Don’t think any movie set in this magnificent city can be anything but nice, peppy & cheerful. Right from the classic Blame it On Rio and Dhoom2, everything seems to acquire a happier, rosy hue in keeping with the warm Brazilian spirit. Rio, the film, is no exception. Get ready for bird watching of a different kind….