The Book of Life
Animated, Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story set during a Day of the Dead celebration. Co-produced by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), featuring the voices of Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana and Ron Perlman.
In the land of the living, two young boys, Manolo and Joaquin, are separated from the girl they both love: Maria. In the realm of the dead, a wager is made between La Muerte, ruler of the festive Land of the Remembered, and Xibalba, ruler of the rickety Land of the Forgotten. Will Manolo, the sensitive musician, win Maria’s heart? Or will she fall for Joaquin, the brave and powerful soldier? After years apart, Maria returns as a striking young educated woman, with the two men in her life falling for her all over again. However, Xibalba isn’t interested in losing the bet, putting forth a plan to make sure Manolo isn’t around for his bet to backfire.
- Director:
- Jorge R. Gutierrez (feature debut)
- Writer:
- Jorge R. GutierrezDouglas Langdale
- Cast:
- Channing TatumZoe SaldanaRon PerlmanDanny TrejoChristina ApplegateIce CubeDiego Luna
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksDeath feels like the best birthday party ever in this Guillermo del Toro production, introducing kids to a vibrant world soaked in a fiesta of colour and constant creativity. It’s a ballsy move to make a family feature about the Day of the Dead, but it’s one that has led to an inspired art direction that works beautifully in motion while setting itself apart from the stock-standard Pixar/Disney/DreamWorks “look”.
Variety
pressUndoubtedly stuffed with more business than its fleet, kid-friendly running time can properly handle.
The New York Times
pressThis often beautiful and too-often moribund, if exhaustingly frenetic, feature tends to be less energetic than the dead people waltzing through it.
The Guardian
pressSports gorgeous, marionette-inspired character design - mucho love has gone into the matadors' bespoke jackets - and a palette so warm you feel yourself developing tanlines around your 3D specs.
The Dissolve
pressAs an afternoon’s diversion for a handful of misbehaving kids... it’s authentically winning.
Entertainment Weekly
pressShowcases some of the most breathtaking animation we've seen this decade.
Empire Magazine
pressThe gleefully Gothic fingerprints of Guillermo del Toro are all over this zippy excursion into Mexico's myths and legends...
A.V. Club
pressThe characters move around in a thoroughly realized universe full of imaginative and beautifully rendered detail.
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksDeath feels like the best birthday party ever in this Guillermo del Toro production, introducing kids to a vibrant world soaked in a fiesta of colour and constant creativity. It’s a ballsy move to make a family feature about the Day of the Dead, but it’s one that has led to an inspired art direction that works beautifully in motion while setting itself apart from the stock-standard Pixar/Disney/DreamWorks “look”.
Variety
pressUndoubtedly stuffed with more business than its fleet, kid-friendly running time can properly handle.
The New York Times
pressThis often beautiful and too-often moribund, if exhaustingly frenetic, feature tends to be less energetic than the dead people waltzing through it.
The Guardian
pressSports gorgeous, marionette-inspired character design - mucho love has gone into the matadors' bespoke jackets - and a palette so warm you feel yourself developing tanlines around your 3D specs.
The Dissolve
pressAs an afternoon’s diversion for a handful of misbehaving kids... it’s authentically winning.
Entertainment Weekly
pressShowcases some of the most breathtaking animation we've seen this decade.
Empire Magazine
pressThe gleefully Gothic fingerprints of Guillermo del Toro are all over this zippy excursion into Mexico's myths and legends...
A.V. Club
pressThe characters move around in a thoroughly realized universe full of imaginative and beautifully rendered detail.
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