Review of the movie "The Book of Life"

The Book of Life: A Surprisingly Upbeat Take on Eternal Values
A surprisingly upbeat and, even for our cynical times, somewhat unconventional film about eternal values – friendship, loyalty, courage – that not even death can overcome.
From childhood, Joaquin, Manolo, and Maria were inseparable friends. As time passes, the children grow up, and soon the beautiful Maria faces a difficult choice: which of the boys should she choose to spend her life with? This dilemma becomes the subject of a wager between higher powers. Catrina La Muerte, ruler of the Land of the Remembered, and the mischievous spirit Xibalba bet on which choice she will make. Xibalba resorts to trickery, granting his favorite, Joaquin, invulnerability, turning him into a renowned and fearless warrior. Manolo, on the other hand, is tricked into the afterlife. To win the heart of the lovely Maria, Manolo must summon all his courage, overcome the obstacles of the Land of the Dead, return to the world of the living, and prove the strength of his feelings for his beloved.

In an interview, director Jorge Gutierrez stated his intention to continue “The Book of Life” with two sequels. The second film will focus on Joaquin and his relationship with his father, while the third film will center on Maria.
A Fresh Perspective on the Day of the Dead
It’s hard to imagine a more misleading title for Jorge Gutierrez’s animated film than “The Book of Life.” The title under which the project was presented to DreamWorks Animation back in 2007, “Day of the Dead,” is far more fitting. At the time, the major studio didn’t dare to take on such a dubious theme, and the project sat on the shelf for five long years before the less famous but far more daring animators at Reel FX took it on. The title had to be changed, but the content remained true to the original concept. Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride” should make way – the army of the dead has arrived!

Guillermo Del Toro served as one of the film’s producers, marking his seventh animated project in which the famous director has participated in one capacity or another.
Visuals and Narrative
If not for the unique animation style, it would be much easier to “get into” the film. The creators chose an unexpectedly grotesque representation of their characters, as if they stepped out of paintings by Dali or Bosch. At first, this is off-putting, but very quickly, the viewer is immersed in the story and can no longer escape the clutches of Mexican folklore. Don’t be fooled by the country of origin; “The Book of Life” is a Mexican product, and it begins with Mexico being declared the center of the universe, with the town of San Angel as the center of that center, where all the remarkable events unfold. The plot picks up speed quickly, bombarding the viewer with so much information in the first ten to fifteen minutes that it may be difficult for children to “digest.” Adults, however, will be satisfied.

Humor and Themes
It’s hard to surprise anyone with animated postmodernism these days. Jokes that were once exclusive to Shrek are now used by almost every cartoon character. However, “The Book of Life” manages to stand out from the crowd here as well. Death, in its various forms, is not a taboo subject in the film. On the contrary, jokes about the dead are constant, with no respect for mourning or traditional notions of the afterlife. Instead, there is an abundance of cynical and pragmatic views, voiced by the most unexpected characters (especially inspiring is the frail old woman who occasionally interjects with her weighty: “I used to tear everyone apart”).

Any flirtation with a not-so-childish theme would be meaningless if “The Book of Life” didn’t have a clear, reasoned, and motivated behavior of its characters. Like any film, it subtly teaches, covering a wide range of lessons, from respect for elders and preserving the memory of those who have passed away to the familiar themes of self-sacrifice, courage, and honesty. Only the most positive character traits and immense love help Manolo overcome Xibalba’s obstacles and capture Maria’s attention. Moreover, all the lessons are presented unobtrusively, in a light, playful form, understandable even to the youngest viewers.

Music
In addition to unexpected design and visual solutions, “The Book of Life” boasts a wonderful and sometimes surprising soundtrack. When the hero starts singing Radiohead’s “Creep” to his beloved instead of a serenade, or covers the famous “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” in his own way, it’s at least amusing. Moreover, the film features musical numbers written specifically for the film, which are quite good. Unfortunately, domestic viewers are deprived of the opportunity to enjoy the original sound (and not the least actors worked on the film’s voice acting), but let this be an additional motive to re-watch the film in the future with the option of choosing the soundtrack.
Conclusion
The complexity of the theme and the not-so-familiar animation (at times reminiscent of David Cherkassky’s popular Soviet animated series) do not allow us to recommend the film to those who are used to stories about fairies, the magical love of princes and princesses, and rainbow unicorns. But for those who don’t flinch at the title “Corpse Bride” or enjoy watching Robert Rodriguez’s films, “The Book of Life” will bring no less pleasure than children get from such “scary stories.” Death, after all, is just the beginning. The main thing is not to test it on yourself.