2021 Summer Movie Season - Luca: Review & Analysis

 

Silencio Bruno!!!!! Pixar's Newest Film Brings Unique Style And Undeniable Heart!!!!!

Review By: Brandon Porter

Viewing Method: Streaming (Disney +)

Hello Gravity!!!

Story Description

In the small seaside town on the Italian Riviera, a young boy named Luca (Jacob Trembley) is looking forward to the summer of a lifetime with his best friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). The scooter rides, gelato ice cream, and endless helpings of pasta are all that’s needed to make this summer unforgettable. There just one problem…Luca and Alberto aren’t from around here. In fact, they aren’t even human. Luca and Alberto are in fact sea monsters that camouflage themselves as humans so they can enjoy the splendors of human life despite protest from their parents. With some townsfolk growing suspicious of their true identity, Can Luca and Alberto enjoy and survive the summer without exposure or will the anti-monster town turn their summer dream into a nightmare?!

Luca musters his courage on the top of the 
steepest hill Porto Rosso

Film Review

Pixar’s latest animated adventure takes us on a wild escapade of fun, tension, and heartfelt friendship. Serving as the studio’s second exclusive release on Disney +, Luca aims to add another notch in the belt of the storytelling powerhouse that has thrilled audiences since the mid-1990s. After seeing the film on the streaming platform, Luca is a fine addition to the Pixar portfolio despite it coming up short of some of its predecessors. Let me preface this by saying that Luca is in no way a bad film. It is a really good film. It, like some others in the Pixar Animation Studios, line up, has trouble stacking up to films that bring a little bit more to the table. But enough comparisons, let's go over what the film does right which is quite a lot. One of the things I love about this movie is its visual identity. Most of the other Pixar films have similar character models that all look the same. Luca is one of the few Pixar movies that I can say has its own unique style that caters to its world. The characters unmistakably have the Pixar finish but with an artistic touch that gives the movie its own visual language. Aside from the fact that Pixar continues to excel at CG animation and realistic renderings of real-world environments and physical elements like skin, hair, water, and even food, Luca gets full marks for not only continuing to showcase the studio's animation prestige but also standing out amongst the crowd in terms of visual identity. 

Beware The Wettness

The voice cast brought it as well. Jacob Tremblay was wonderful as the title character. He portrayed the perfect balance of hope, fear, apprehensiveness, courage, and conviction. He gives the character life which is nice for it helps make the journey Luca goes on more engaging. Jack Dylan Grazer, however, steals the show as Alberto. His confident swagger and quick-witted humor mesh perfectly with Tremblay while his character also shows a vulnerable side that shows there more under the surface of this happy-go-lucky persona he's putting up. Emma Berman was equally great a Giulia with others like Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, Marco Barricelli, and Peter Sohn rounding out a great cast of characters. As I said before, Luca is a really good movie that could get overlooked because of its predecessors but that in no way diminishes the quality of the film by any means. The movie's story about discovering the world and learning and trying new things that give you new perspectives is a refreshing one that kids and adults can relate to. The film also has some tug on the heartstring moments that are staples of the studio at this particular point in its history. All in all, Luca aims to be a simple story that doesn't try to be overly complex. Its cast, visual aesthetic, and heartfelt valor are all welcome elements that work beautifully even if they don't match others that came before. A movie that is well crafted and truly suited for the young and the bold-minded. 

Rating and Final Thoughts

A beautifully done film with a standout visual style, terrific visuals, and a fun and heartwarming story.
Not quite a Pixar masterpiece but a fine addition to the collection

Anyone have a hankering for some whale carcus?