Rating: C-
The best thing that can be said about Pixar’s latest movie, Luca, is that it’s by far not the worst effort Pixar has ever given us. That’s a distinction that Cars 2 will probably hold for a long, long time. Or, really, the Cars franchise, generally. I’m not sure I see anything Pixar does taking the bottom spot from any of those films.
Of course, “Well, at least it’s not Cars” is about as far from a ringing endorsement as one can get. In truth, it feels half formed, as if the studio had three vague ideas for various stories that they smashed together in the hopes that something cohesive might arise. The end effect is haphazard and lazy and a far cry from the quality of filmmaking that Pixar is generally known for.
For a studio known for elevating the concept of children’s films with works such as WALL-E and Up, Luca is exceedingly uninspired. Even the studio’s needless sequels like Toy Story 4 and Monster’s University feel more important than this. At least those add something to the oeuvre.
None of which is to say that children won’t enjoy Luca. Indeed, its simplistic and silly story will no doubt appeal to the younger members of your family, giving you a blessed 90 minutes of freedom while they bask in awe. That might be good enough, though it certainly is disappointing given how much effort Pixar tends to put into making its films palatable for adults and teens in addition to the youngsters of a family.
The film follows Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), a mild-mannered and kind magical sea-creature who just wants to explore his world, despite his overbearing parents (Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan). In Luca’s world, a sea-creature can leave the waters and shape shift into human form, a fate Luca’s parents are dead set against. Sowing his wild oats, Luca leaves the waters anyway after meeting Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), another sea-creature who has left the water. Finding themselves in coastal Italy, the two try to navigate life as humans and enter a triathlon in the hopes of winning money to buy a Vespa.
There’s certainly no problem with low stakes—and it’s hard to imagine the stakes being lower than they are in Luca—but so much of the film is so uninspired that it’s hard to care too much about Luca, Alberto, or their triathlon. Coupled with silly humor and jokes that just do not or cannot land, there isn’t much of Luca worth seeing outside the typically stellar Pixar animation.
Characters in Luca feel like cookie cutter copies of Italian stereotypes that just don’t read well. Often they use cheese as an expletive. Almost every time you turn around one character or another is exclaiming “Santo Gorgonzola” or “Santo Mozzarella”. Additionally, the triathlon Luca and Alberto enter includes the time-honored athletic event of *checks notes* pasta eating? Get it? Italians love cheese and pasta?
It might be superficially cute but none of it makes any of it particularly worthwhile. Which is probably why it’s being released at no additional charge on Disney+. That’s great news for parents who need something new for their kids to watch, and good news for everyone else who now doesn’t have to spend good money to see the latest Pixar adventure. Unfortunately, it’s so much of a misfire that I’m not sure that is worth the 90 minute investment required to see it.
Luca is now available on Disney+.
8 Responses
I am SO grateful to see this, my Wife and I are tired of the gay baiting and frankly, the mermaid baiting. Like, if they were gay, just say that they’re gay, it’s pride month ffs. And if they were gonna be sea creatures, make them BE IN THE WATER A LIL BIT. AT LEAST SOMETHING
But mostly as an Italian American, damn man, that was whack. That’s how Pixar sees my culture? Fucking… Santo… Mozz-I can’t. It’s so cringe, and frankly, if this story took place someplace else, it wouldn’t change a thing. It didn’t need to have sea creatures, it didn’t need to make fun of italians, Martin Scorsese has already set the bar for italian culture in film, why is this so hard for you, Disney? Did you really, REALLY not have any other references of italian culture in film?
… What about in Italy? Aren’t you like.. a global thing, Disney? You and all your cultural brand shit you like to fake until someone asks you an actual question about any of those cultures.
And stop making poor fucking Maya Rudolph in the angry mom character, this is a trope with a LOT of ethnic moms on Disney’s side, and don’t even get me started on Mitchels vs. the Machines (Robots great, Dad great, Katie is awful and the equivalent to that Zoomer SNL sketch)
And all of youtube is singing this film’s praises (and mitchels/machines) and it’s like, are you guys just numb now?? Why is it that Cruella is apparently so bad but LUCA is great?
REALLY???????????????????????????? Are ya’ll sure????????????????????? What is the bar anymore?????????
Stephanie as the daughter of an Italian American mother I was sick to my stomach with the Ridiculous stereotypes in this movie.
This was an awful movie, and the visual development was incredibly poor for Pixar standards. Look at something like Soul or Coco, both of which were exceptionally detailed in the model and texture sense, then Coco, where you can’t even see facial scales or anything, and the character designs are basically stick figures with tails, and there’s no visual harmony in those designs. It reminded me of The Good Dinosaur.
As an Italian, born and raised in Italy, I find this movie very disappointing. Filled with stereotypes and references to music, actors and the iconic Vespa from the ‘50s and ‘60s, like that’s the only period in Italian history which is worth remembering. Italy and its people of yesterday and today are much, much more than that. It’s time to stop this crap, seriously.
Well, I’m so glad I didn’t take this review to heart because I really loved this movie!
I whole-heartedly agree…and simply put, even if you can look past the cringe-worthy stereotypes (which is further mind-blowing given it’s Italian director), this movie is, as others have put it – flat and uninspired. I couldn’t get past the first 20 minutes because I was bored out of my mind. And I can’t put my finger on what exactly bugged me specifically but the writing, animation, and general ‘vibe’ of this movie just felt completely off. I was so disappointed that this was the latest release from Pixar (though to be fair I also couldn’t even get through Soul – watching a bunch of blue blobs floating around a blank space was so cold and painfully dull) Just difficult to reconcile this film in a line up of stellar movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and the like. As much as I hate Cars, I think I prefer it to this movie…though I suppose that’s not fair to say seeing as I didn’t even finish the first half.
stereotypes : let’s change the word to what it really is, racist. Take back the word. RACIST.
This is exactly what I’m saying while watching tbh. In the first couple of minutes of the movie where Luca finds the human’s belongings, I just said to myself “ah, lemme guess, u are fascinated, u wanna know more abt this human world and go out but too scared? ah yes I’ve heard this concept somewhere in a disney princess movie that were made back in 1989.” but then well okay, I brush passed it and think its the “sea creatures version”. And then turns out they could easily shift into human in seconds as long as you don’t get wet or manage to dry yourself. well I’m sure physics works that way. And, sorry Ariel, looks like magical sea creatures had it easier than you huh? Feelsbadman.
Then he made friends with Alberto. I said ” ah okay a friendship themed story. I can live with that”. But then they had this weird uninspiring dream to have a vespa(??) surely everyone could relate to that, right? They even risk both their lives on the land just to get an inanimate object (which they could not afford) on a town that puts a bounty to catch their likes and hunts fish for a living? okay and I thought Ariel was reckless by making a deal with a sea witch.
Then they met this girl who had her special catchphrase like a pokemon by saying “Santo Mozzarella” and stuff. Boy, and I thought that was cringe as hell.
And so their friendship grew with having etc etc.. but had issues with jealousy on Alberto’s part.. learned some new things from the “new friend” that made Luca drifts from Alberto and their dreams/goal which makes the situation worse.. yada yada yada, expected to have an escalated conflict.. betrayal…. Its just soo predictable.
Its like they bring some concepts and just mashed them together hoping it creates something new and thrilling.. but I got news for you champ, it doesn’t. The plot of the story is really predictable the second you see a slight problem/possibility.. the goal of the story is somewhat underwhelming and sooooo relatable am I right? I mean, everyone wants a vespa to travel the whole world and run away from home right? Surely that’s a good message to put into kids, if they were to pick up on that. And for the so-called amazing graphics and details that pixar also had in their name.. I just couldn’t see it from this movie. Or maybe I’m just blind. Either way.
Overall, I think for those who wanted to watch out of curiosity, go ahead but if they just looking for a great new movie to watch, I surely won’t ever recommend this. And actually, I believe I would remember this movie well. But not on the greatest way possible. I hope Pixar’s upcomings are just a whole lot better than this bcs frankly, I’m quite disappointed.