THE BOOK OF LIFE (2014) – The Review

The great “schnozzola” Jimmy Durante’s signature catch phrase “Everybody wants ta’ get into da’ act!’ couldn’t be more true when it comers to animated features these days. Perhaps this may be a result of the incredible all-ages success of Pixar. Or it might be the love of animation held be many aging “baby boomer” film makers who awaited Saturday mornings in front of the tube (which just ended now that no broadcast networks run weekend ‘toons) or those grand ole’ special kiddie matinees. Tim Burton may have kick-started this trend by coming off his big Batman flicks to produce THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and later direct THE CORPSE BRIDE and FRANKENWEENIE. Johnny Depp and his PIRATES director scored a hit with RANGO. And recently Adam Sandler started a new franchise with HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA. New to the animation arena, but a big name in the fantasy/horror genre is Guillermo del Toro (PACIFIC RIM ). Now he’s not jumping in with a princess fairy tale or a forest animals united-type story. This new film covers much of the same territory as his PAN’S LABYRINTH and is a post-Halloween love letter to his south of the border roots. Settle back in your theatre seats and experience an entry from THE BOOK OF LIFE..

It begins as a school bus full of bored, rowdy pre-teens pulls up to the steps of a museum. Luckily their tour guide Mary Beth (voice of Christina Applegate) knows just how to entrance them. They enter through a secret magical passageway to an area dedicated to the legends and lore of Mexico. Using small carved figures, Mary Beth begins a story about a small village and the realm just below the surface, a colorful land full of spirits called the “Land of the Remembered” run by the beautiful La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), while beneath them is the dank, dismal, dark “Land of the Forgotten” lorded over by the foul Xilbaba (Ron Perlman). On the annual Day of the Dead festival, the two rulers pay a visit to the village. There they observe two boys and a girl at play. Xilbaba proposes a bet over which lad the lass will marry once they’re reached adulthood with the loser of the bet remaining in charge of the Forgotten realm. Years later the young men eagerly await the arrival of their friend’s return after years at a far-off school for young ladies. La Muerte’s choice, Manolo (Diega Luna), has been groomed to follow in a long family line of matadors, but he prefers the guitar to the sword, while Xilbaba’s pick, Joaquin (Channing Tatum), is a much decorated soldier who protects the village. When they re-unite with Maria (Zoe Saldana), all are surprised by her independent attitude (and she’s very good with a sword!). Later, a scheme by the devious Xilbaba sends one of the suitors off to his ancestors. With the help of the wise Candle Maker (Ice Cube), can he make his way back to the land of the living in time to save the village from an unstoppable bandit army?

Just two weeks ago I remarked that THE BOXTROLLS was a visual feast. Well I could say the same for this film, although it may be more of a spicy, Latin buffet. While the denizens of Cheeseburg had a squishy, pliable look owing to the stop motion figures, BOOK’s main characters look to be carved right out of different varieties of wood. But this film is made up of pixels which simulates the look of string puppets or marionettes (no bouncing from overhead wires, though). The modern-day museums wrap-arounds have the usual CGI rounded feel, but Manolo and Joaquin in particular have great carved, smoothed heads while their arms seem to be composed of wired together blocks. the hands separate as the fingers curl. Instead of knees, their legs bend with a middle hinge. Several of the village extras (like the ineffectual soldier) have a built-up 2D effect with eyes and lips jutting out of the side of the head like Picasso’s art. The backgrounds are just as striking. The village has a golden, dusty, lived-in beauty. Below, in the land of the Remembered, it’s a dazzling fiesta with explosions of color. Farther below is a cool mix of mists and moonlight broken up by a wonderful living statue and an ornate maze to challenge the hero. The skeletal denizens have intricate designs carved around their faces with deep, black eyes and holes where the nose should be. One of the best character designs is the hulking bandit leader whose arms flail about like spiked cannonballs atop “slinkees”. This is a world that begs to be explored again and again.

All the voice actors are superb with kudos to Luna who croons several new and classic tunes (including an Elvis standard). Gustavo Santaolalla’s original score weaves in familiar ballads and makes good use of a signature riff from Ennio Morricone. Director Jorge R. Guiterrez (who co-wrote the script with Douglas Langdale) keeps the dramatic story flowing while including many wonderful sight gags and tossed-off humorous asides. The very young viewers may get a tad spooked by the spooks and ghoulies, but older audiences, including adults, will be mesmerized by the stunning visuals and clever script. Here’s hoping that there will be at least one more volume of THE BOOK OF LIFE.

4 Out of 5