Vivo - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Vivo



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


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Movie
I’m always amazed at how far we’ve changed in the world of cinema. I remember when Netflix was just that mail in movie service where you could rent DVDS and have them sent to you, send them back for a new one on your queue..then rinse and repeat forever. Then they started streaming some online content. Then their streaming took over and their DVD rental service took a back seat (and actually is still present. My father in law uses them religiously because he as 2 mpbs satellite service in the boonies). NOW Netflix is the biggest gorilla in the room and producing their own content like Vivo. Usually most Netflix material doesn’t get a physical release, but Sony has recently been given production rights for the animated flick, and we get a nice new Blu-ray disc to enjoy (though, sadly, no 4K UHD).

Vivo the kinkajou (Lin-Manuel Miranda) is living life to the fullest in Havana, Cuba. He’s the second half of a musical duo thanks to an aging companion Andres (Juan de Marcos Gonzalez), and the two flit around Cuba singing for coins and just living the bachelor life. However, one day Andres receives a letter from his old signing partner Marta (Gloria Estefan) inviting the old man to come to Miami to hear her play her farewell concert. Andres plans to go to the event with a song that describes his latent feelings for her, but ends up passing away overnight in his sleep before being able to make the journey.

Attending his wake, Vivo meets the vivacious and bouncy Gabi (Ynairlay Simo) and her mother Rosa (Zoe Saldano). Finding out that Rosa and Gabi are headed to Miami, Vivo stows along in their luggage hoping to get a free trip to go deliver Andres’ letter to Marta. Along the way he’s discovered by Gabi, who also wants to go to the concert, and soon the duo are traveling through the swamps of Florida, and dodging Rosa’s angry pursuit in hopes of making it to Marta and delivering said letter on time.

Vivo was originally going to be a Sony Production, but with the Covid-19 pandemic slamming theaters down in 2020, Sony sold the rights to Netlflix, where the streaming giant finished the job and put it on their streaming platform. Honestly, I can kind of see why too. Vivo is cute and all, but it’s a really generic life lesson animation film at the end of the day. Sony’s never had the massive hits that Pixar, Disney and Dreamworks had, and Vivo is no different. It’s a solid bit of entertainment, and has some fun song along the way, but it’s a cheesy kids movie that just didn’t hit me in the feels like I was hoping.

The acting is very solid, and fills out with a massive array of Latino singing culture. Not to mention the songs are absolutely lovely. But as I said, the main fault of the movie is that it’s fairly cookie cutter. Enjoyable, but nothing that actually stretches boundaries are makes something unique of itself. I did enjoy Michael Rooker as the menacing snake Lutador, and the girls scout friends of Gabi are downright hilarious. The movie is middle of the road, and as long as you have that expectation in mind, will be a fun family oriented film.




Rating:

Rated PG for thematic elements and mild action




Video:

The 1080p disc is quite spectacular by my eyes. Straight from the digital tap, it’s lavishly colored with deep purples, browns, reds and various shades of primary colors, and showcases impeccable detail. The digital animation is crisp and clean, with no signs of major artifacting anywhere in sight. I DID notice a little bit of banding in very small amounts (such as when Vivo is found in Gabi’s case), but overall this is a near impeccable disc. Black levels are deep and inky, and outside of the banding, I’d say that the image is near perfect.









Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is nothing to sneeze at either. Netflix offered Dolby Atmos for their release, but the Sony release only gets a 5.1 mix. But the streaming 4K Itunes and Vudu releases retain that original mix. The 5.1 track does retain the wide sound stage of the Atmos mix, with incredibly vibrant and powerful songs, and excellent dialog. LFE is punchy and tight for the music, and even adds some great amplification for when Gabi and Vivo make their trip to Miami. An all around great mix. But still, the Atmos would have been appreciated.












Extras:

• Behind the Animation
• My Own Dream (Remix) Lyric Video
• Sing Along Edition
• Previews

Final Score: ​

Vivo is sweet, very lightheared, and a generally fun adventure movie for the kids. It’s not going to rise to the heights of Pixar and Dreamworks, but it’s a very serviceable film with some great animation and audio, and a rollicking sound track. The Blu-ray looks and sounds absolutely amazing, with crisp 1080p animation and a rich and filling DTS-HD MA track. Solid watch, fun family flick.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ynairaly Simo, Zoe Saldana, Brian Tyree Henry, Gloria Estefan
Directed by: Kirk DeMicco, Brandon Jeffords
Written by: Kirkk DeMicco, Quiara Alegria Hudes, Peter Barsocchini
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DTS-HD MA 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: PG
Runtime: 96 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: August 9th, 2022

Recommendation: Cute Family Musical

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I will check this out with the kids.