Pixar Animation Studios’ latest animated film, Luca, has been globally released on Disney+, and the good news is that it’s available to all subscribers without VIP access. A delightful gift from Disney, Luca is a well-animated and entertaining film!
The story revolves around Luca Paguro, a sea monster. Although the term monster isn’t entirely accurate. Luca is an innocent young shepherd of his goatfish herd, living with his parents on their farm at the bottom of the sea, far away from the surface and humans. Luca, bored underwater and eager to explore, encounters Alberto one day, who leads him to the surface. He is instantly captivated.
Luca and Alberto revel in their time above water. Inspired by a poster, they form a shared dream: to travel around the world on a Vespa! While it sounds like a beautiful dream, there’s a catch. Sea monsters can transform into humans on land, but as soon as their skin touches water, their scales reappear. Not ideal if you’re trying to hide in a fishing village always on the lookout for mythical sea monsters.
Focused on their Vespa dream, Luca and Alberto befriend Giulia. Determined to win the Portorosso Cup, a triathlon involving swimming, eating pasta, and cycling up and down a mountain, Giulia is after the prize money—a tidy sum just enough to buy a rusty old Vespa. Luca and Alberto find their goal: to win the Portorosso Cup as real underdogs with Giulia and buy their own Vespa!
Pixar delivers with Luca
After successful films like Toy Story, Cars, Onward, and Soul, Pixar has repeatedly showcased its capabilities. Once again, with Luca, Disney Pixar stands out. The fantastic animation momentarily transports you to the Italian Riviera of the 1950s. Contributing to the Italian atmosphere is the music. The Italian tunes in the background perfectly complement the setting and the story—a commendable achievement!
Not only is the visual setting and atmosphere successful, but the characters are also well-crafted. Particularly, the scenes in which sea monsters transition from human to fish and vice versa are incredibly fast and smoothly animated.
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Similar to Raya and the Last Dragon, another Disney animated film from 2021, the majority of the voice cast for Luca was chosen based on their background, with the exception of the lead roles. Luca is voiced by the young Jacob Tremblay (Room, Wonder), and Alberto is voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer (IT, Shazam!). Both have done an excellent job breathing life into the animation, especially considering that they recorded everything at home due to the pandemic. The rest of the cast has also performed exceptionally well, including actress Maya Rudolph as Luca’s mother. Rudolph has proven her voice acting skills in previous works like The Mitchells vs. The Machines, and she once again excels in Luca.
Luca is a coming-of-age story centered around Luca, with friendship being a significant theme explored with Alberto and Giulia in different ways. The storyline about the differences between humans and sea monsters remains somewhat superficial at times (pun intended). Disney could have delved deeper into this theme, but it remains an animated film primarily intended for children. Overall, Luca is poised to be another huge success for Disney. After watching the animated Italian sunshine, you’ll find yourself momentarily immersed in Luca’s world. Disney and Pixar once again demonstrate their mastery of animated filmmaking!
Luca – Disneyplus
On the Italian Riviera, an unlikely but strong friendship grows between a human being and a sea monster disguised as a human.
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, and others.
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Producer: Andrea Warren
Studio: Pixar Animation Studios & Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
