Coco: Heartwarming, Stunning Visuals

“Coco” is a film that will whisk you away on a musical quest through the Land of the Dead.

“Coco” is the latest animation release from Disney Pixar, featuring Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), a young boy passionate about music and the famous singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Unfortunately for Miguel, his family hates music and bans him from having anything to do with it. In search of making his musical passions come true, he finds himself in the Land of the Dead on Día de los Muertos.

The film is comprised of stunning visuals throughout and is superbly detailed in every frame. The design of the Land of the Dead is rich with colors and interesting characters to be met along the way. The animation of the characters is excellent, using classic Pixar style animation to bring the characters and the film to life.

Throughout “Coco” there is a strong message of the importance of family. It is clear that Miguel’s family want the best for him and although at some points are presented as the antagonists, there is a real sense of a realistic family dynamic, who all truly care for each other.

As well as a message of family, the film portrays an inspiring message of following your dreams without forgetting where you come from and embracing your heritage. The themes presented within “Coco” are really well done and are relatable for both people of Mexican heritage and those who have no knowledge of Mexican culture.

The film has been praised for how well it represents Mexican culture, through aspects such as, the music, story and characters. Pixar did a lot of research into how to accurately portray this story, with details such as including a number of Spanish phrases throughout. This research really paid off and it was wonderful to see a story representing a culture that is often not featured in major cinema releases.

Although “Coco” is somewhat predictable at points, the story is enchanting in spite of this. Overall, “Coco” is a musical love letter to Mexican culture and is a heart-warming film with stunning visuals.