A RIOT OF colour, a cacophony of samba rhythms and a vibrant carnival atmosphere: that’s the natural habitat of an exotic bird named Blu. So he finds it something of a culture shock when he is captured by smugglers and transported to a cold and snowy Minnesota. As luck would have it, his cage falls out of the van, and he is taken in by a kindly bespectacled little girl, Linda. Fast forward 15 years to a grown-up Linda and a domesticated Blu, who can perform all manner of clever tricks, like making toast, but doesn’t know how to fly. He is very happy with his lot, and his previous life in Rio is but a dim and distant memory. This blissful life, however, is thrown into turmoil when Linda finds out that Blu is a rare macaw, the last male of his species, and there’s a prospective mate waiting for him in Rio. Does this herald a romantic match made in heaven for him? Hardly. Instead, there’s a feisty female, Jewel, who’s not very impressed with a bird who can’t fly, a battle against evil smugglers, a chase through the carnival and a dribbly dog to contend with. From the makers of Ice Age, this is a very colourful, fast-paced adventure, with sweeping 3D images over Rio, and a run of witty oneliners and visual gags, as well as featuring very colourful and vibrant animation that captures the exotic spirit of the Carnival.
Rio, Cert U, is out now
