In the almost three decades that have passed since the premiere of that turning point within the animated industry entitled ‘Toy Story’, Pixar has shown a clear avant-garde evolution that invites us to associate its work not only with exceptional narratives and skin, but also a will to transcend by addressing topics of great depth in a way that radically distances itself from that seen in its competitors.
Unfortunately, this seal of distinction —and prestige— discursive, has been progressively displacing a fun factor that ended up reaching historic lows in the bloated existentialist reflection of ‘Soul’; taking flight the following year with a ‘Luca’ that put aside grandiloquent airs to embrace the viewer with kindness and warmth.
Now, with the extraordinary ‘Red’, the animation studio has gone one step further; shaping his best film of recent years from an unbeatable combination of high-voltage wild comedy that does not understand contentions and of that trademark heart of the house that does not put the message above a unique experience, incomprehensibly relegated to the small screen.
Adolescence 101
The introductory sequence of ‘Red’ is another one of those passages Made in Pixar worthy of being studied in all film schools. In a few minutes, and displaying an exquisite use of audiovisual language, the film is not limited to presenting its protagonist with certainty and the keys to the conflict on which the story revolves; as well makes a statement of intent by condensing and laying the formal and tonal foundations that underpin its fleeting 100 minutes of footage.
If something stands out in this spectacular contact, it is an overflowing waste of creativity that evolves in crescendo until the end credits roll on screen. Fourth wall breaks, first class visual comedy, constant visual stimuli, dynamic transitions… the volume of resources is as great as it is successful; but if something makes the whole work and is not reduced to chaos, it is a splendid montage that links gags at full speed and provides a rhythm and a dynamic that at times reminds us of titles like ‘Scott Pilgrim against the world’.
However, none of this would have come to such a good end without the work of Domee Shi at the address; who has reaffirmed the great talent that he already hinted at in his great short film ‘Bao’. His calculated staging and his accurate planning, in addition to giving away the occasional memorable snapshot, they use an overwhelming technical muscle —the physics and textures are from another world— with which Pixar hits the ceiling again; adding a subtle anime tint to its production design to finish off what really matters: the story and its characters.
In general terms, it must be recognized that ‘Red’ did not invent the wheel, appearing as a coming of age archetypal seasoned with a supernatural component that truthfully portrays the transition to adolescence and mother-child relationships. But these foundations are enhanced by an assortment of charming characters, by their representation of Chinese culture and by an exemplary dramatic structure in its use of causality, and which leads to a hilarious third act that will delight fans of the fantastic .
Of course, under all this barrage of relentless fun and pristine cinematic values, the film has that characteristic Pixar residue that continues to explore life and the human condition, but lightening it and making it more digestible through self-awareness and the absence of airs to transcend. And it is that, with ‘Red’, it seems that in the studio they have finally decided to replace the most bitter tears produced by uneasiness with those that sprout as a result of the purest and most complicit laughter; something that, far from what it may seem at first glance, is an achievement that is only within the reach of the best cinema.