
The quaint, sun-drenched village looks like a 1950s postcard come to life and just makes you want to laze around in the sun for a few hours. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Luca is that it features two fully realized worlds. (The water looks incredibly lifelike.) Seeing the pair of friends race through the water, jumping like dolphins, and changing forms constantly in the process, creates an incredible sense of freedom. At the same time, because this is a CG film, there’s a fluidity, particularly when you see the sea creatures swimming like otters. It all helps add to the movie’s cozy nature. Luca has the vibe of a stop-motion production, with exaggerated characters that look like they’re made of toothpicks and plasticine. The rippling effect when a sea monster transforms into a person is jarring yet almost satisfying, like popping a piece of bubble wrap. There’s a real tactile sensation to the animation.

At the same time, there’s a constant sense of danger any time it rains you worry that the boys will be found out, which is particularly scary given how much the villagers hate sea monsters.īut the predictable nature of Luca never bothered me, because it’s just so charming.
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They adapt to the human world as they train for the competition - Luca learns how to ride a bike, while Alberto struggles to operate a fork - and discover new pleasures like gelato.

The two grow close, eventually clash, and struggle to deal with the influence of Giulia on their relationship. For the most part, Luca’s story follows the expected beats. Alberto helps Luca out of his shell with daring bike rides and other stunts, while Luca shows Alberto that there’s more to life than just having fun. Luca, cautious yet imaginative Alberto, brash and prone to taking risks. The core of the movie is the budding friendship between Alberto and Luca. Photo: Pixar Animation Studios Read next: How Pixar created Luca’s adorable, transforming sea monsters (In case you forgot the film takes place in Italy, one of the triathlon events is dedicated to eating pasta.) Eventually, they come up with a plan: with the help of a new human friend named Giulia they enter into a triathlon so that they can use the prize money to buy a Vespa. So Luca and Alberto are able to pretend to be human when they visit a nearby Italian seaside village in search of the scooter of their dreams. The big twist in Luca is that the sea monsters change into a human form when they’re out of the water. Luca’s budding obsession with the human world reaches its zenith when he spots a poster on Alberto’s wall that reads simply: “Vespa is freedom.” The two decide right then and there that they have to have a Vespa. (He’d make fast friends with Ariel.) Then one day, he meets another young monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) who happens to live on the land. He collects random objects, like playing cards and alarm clocks, and dreams about what the world outside of the ocean is like. Most of what he knows comes from his parents, who tell him that the “land monsters” are “here to do murders.” Still, despite - or perhaps because of - this sense of danger, he’s fascinated by the human world. Luca (Jacob Tremblay) is a young monster who lives a sheltered life on a family farm under the sea, largely oblivious to the human world above him. Okay, sorry, so what is Luca actually? At its most basic, it’s a coming-of-age story about sea creatures, directed by Enrico Casarosa (who previously directed Pixar’s 2011 short La Luna). What I’m saying is: this is just about the perfect summer movie. I recommend pulling out a projector so you can watch it outside, preferably as the sun starts to set, and ideally with some gelato to accompany you.

With the assistance of Portorosso resident Giulia Marcovaldo (Emma Berman), Luca and Alberto immerse themselves in the Italian Riviera town, all the while strengthening their bond and planning for the future.The best way to watch Luca, the latest feature from Pixar, is when you’re that very particular kind of tired that comes from a long day at the beach. Luca Paguro demonstrates his bravery by rebelling against his parents and traveling to the land above, then investigates the possibilities of being human with his fellow sea monster and new friend, Alberto Scorfano (Jack Dylan Grazer). Set in the Italian Riviera, the Disney/Pixar movie doesn't necessarily tease a sequel, but a follow-up does seem likely based on positive critic reviews and telling statements from director Enrico Casarosa.Īt 95 minutes in duration, Luca sweetly and swiftly resolves the main conflict for its titular 13-year-old protagonist, voiced by Canadian actor Jacob Tremblay. Will Disney+ release Luca 2, and what could it be about? The original animated movie, Luca, released in June 2021 and follows the journey of two young Italian sea monsters who dream of adventures on the mainland.
