Rio review

There have been a handful of kids films in 2011 that weren’t really for younger kids (Rango, Mars Needs Moms), so it’s nice that a colourful, cute children’s film has come along that both kids and parents will enjoy.

Macaw Blu (Eisenberg) was stolen from the Brazilian rainforest when he was just a chick, and he ended up in snowy Minnesota where he was raised by Linda (Mann). All is perfect (apart from the fact that Blu can’t fly) until ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) turns up to tell Linda that Blu is actually the last male bird of his kind, and to save his species he needs to go to Brazil and mate with independent bird Jewel (Hathaway), the only female blue macaw. So it’s off to sunny Rio (beautifully realised, as are the birds themselves), land of carnival, but things start to go wrong when the two birds are kidnapped and Blu finds himself on an adventure that involves a mean cockatoo named Nigel (Jemaine Clement, who gets to sing a cracking solo), two comedy birds voiced by Will.i.am and Jamie Foxx, and the Rio Carnival itself.
One of the yummiest-looking movies in ages, this is simple stuff from Ice Age director Carlos Saldanha, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s funny, fun and even features a few toe-tapping songs. Kids will love it, and grown-ups will be happy on this trip to Rio, too.