VIVO review - Could be worse

(Reviewed by Melody Werner)

Vivo is a 2021 3D animated musical produced by Sony, and horked up on Netflix in the vain hope of satiating the neverending hunger for new, disposable media to consume during the End Times. I'm being facetious about it being the End Times, of course--we're still in the prelude--but it's still so surreal to see such a high-gloss film skip cinemas entirely in favor of streaming. And yet, I can't imagine Vivo being such a big get for Netflix had they gotten it in the midst of more "normal" days; in keeping with Netflix's batting average with "Netflix Original" animated films, it's not very good.

Far be it for me to pretend that Vivo does not visibly have a lot of love poured into its animation. It's a gorgeous film, and it's a delight when they pull out the short bits of 2D animation. But it's visually splendid and lively throughout. As far as the visual storytelling is concerned, it's really great--if you cut out all of the dialogue, this could be an extremely impressive animation instead of a bad musical. Its character designs can feel 3D Disney-esque, leaving the flick occasionally feeling a tad more derivative. Well, more derivative than it always comes across.

This is a vanity project that's been in development hell since 2010, surviving this long only by virtue of being the baby of Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights, Hamilton)--who impressively still finds time to be a prolific songwriter and actor between lobbying to shut down Puerto Rican public schools--hell, it was originally in the hands of DreamWorks, who probably would've been preferable to Sony, depending on if it was to be the duty of the b-team that made unmitigated trash like Home or not. Tirades aside, that's a pretty huge star for your musical, for obvious reasons. And yeah, the man has serious technical ability when he's rapping, far better than any hip hop in children's movies. This movie also makes the mistake of letting a child sing one of the marquee songs, and as to be expected, it sounds goddamned terrible. Easily the most obnoxious the film gets. Unfortunately, the songs just aren't firing on all cylinders here. Some pretty good ones, one or two reeeeaaaal stinkers, and no showstoppers. However, in a musical, the music isn't just here to sound nice--it's here to progress the story as well.

The songs do not progress the story very well. Sorry if that's blunt, but I think that's appropriate, considering how blunt Vivo is with its character development. It never feels natural, characters will swap dispositions in the span of one song--which is common, but the film fails to cover that up like its betters would. I also seriously fucking hate the vapid reaches for pathos, which only make notable showings at the beginning and end of the tale to give some emotionally manipulative pantomime of meaning. The halfhearted antagonist has no connection to the title character's motives; the big baddie's no foil or metaphor for Vivo's [the protagonist] grief--it's just a huge, stupid python. Nevermind the fact that the dialogue is ass. From time to time, there's a genuinely funny, absurd joke, but it's generally generic tripe that insults its audience's intelligence by constantly beating you over the head.

Look, I am white as hell. Therefore, I am dumb as shit. Do not come to us dipshits for insights on the experiences of BIPOC, obviously. For what it's worth, I like when modern media tries to be more inclusive. If only these corporations did not persistently treat the actual marginalized people who actually bring the talent to the picture like ass.

Maybe I have lofty expectations for Netflix's family films--after all, there are plenty of trashy family pictures elsewhere. But I know that they can put out good shit, and I think they're uninhibited by the need to theatrically distribute works. If anyone should be experimenting with format and aesthetic, it's them. It speaks volumes that the only good one they've released as a "Netflix Original" also only came to them because of the pandemic. Vivo gets a 4.5/10. Kinda sucks.

Lousy

Summary:

Vivo is a disappointment. I feel sorry if you waited 11 years for this.