Shadows on the Wall

Arco

dir Ugo Bienvenu
scr Ugo Bienvenu, Felix de Givry
prd Felix de Givry, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Ugo Bienvenu
voices Romy Fay, Juliano Valdi, Wyatt Danieluk, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, Flea, America Ferrera, Roeg Sutherland, Zoya Bogomolova, Ben Hoynes
release Fr 22.Oct.25,
US 14.Nov.25, UK 20.Mar.26
25/France Remembers 1h22

CANNES FILM FEST
TORONTO FILM FEST

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Beautifully hand-drawn in anime style, this futuristic French animated adventure is brightly coloured and packed with eye-catching action. It also features a plot with strong echoes of E.T., as a 10-year-old girl tries to help a visitor return home. While the climate change messaging sometimes threatens to take over, the impressive imagery and strong writing make the film thoroughly engaging, mixing warm humour with some powerful drama.

In the distant future, Arco (Valdi) is impatient to turn 12 so he can fly with his parents (Ferrera and Sutherland). So steals a rainbow-coloured cape and leaps from the towering farm platforms, travelling back through time to 2075. There he meets Iris (Fay), raised by the robot Mikki while her parents (Portman and Ruffalo) work away from home. Iris and Arco are fascinated by each other, becoming tight friends. But because he's unregistered, the police are after him. So Iris takes Arco on the run, hoping to help him return to his own time.

Meanwhile, Arco and Iris followed by three opportunistic chuckleheads (Ferrell, Samberg and Flea) who have found Arco's diamond, which he needs to return home. Their madcap bumbling adds a slapstick element to the action that keeps the movie from getting too scary. They also lean into some sinister conspiracy theories, knowing more about Arco's predicament than expected. So some proper intensity develops in the story, with suspenseful set-pieces and a few downright harrowing moments.

Rainbows feature heavily throughout the story (arcoiris is the Spanish word for rainbow), adding vivid hues everywhere. And the characters continually deepen, including this dopey trio and Iris' classmate Clifford (Danieluk), who also offers his assistance. The cast is very strong, including how Mikki voice is created by mixing Portman and Ruffalo together. While there are strongly hopeful environmental messages even in some rather harrowing sequences, it's the yearning connection between Arco and Iris that brings this story to life, especially when she asks to go to the future with him.

Humanity in 2075 is plagued by severe wind, rain and firestorms, protected by giant bubbles when needed. Throughout the adventure, Arco reveals hints about how things will change for mankind. So along with looking seriously dazzling, with its own distinct designs and animated effects, the film's involving story has something honest and even hopeful to say about the future of the planet. And where the story goes is simply and very deeply lovely.

themes, violence 10.Nov.25

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