REVIEW: Soul

 REVIEW: Soul

Pixar, it's fair to say, never go for the typical or the obvious. Soul is a prime example of that. It's such a weird idea, to make an animated family film about a man who has a near-death experience, but it's what makes Pixar stand out from all of the other animation studios. Their films feel so mature and poignant, whilst catering to audiences of all ages, and that is always such a commendable quality for a movie to possess.

I just love the animation in the soul world known as The Great Before. It's so colourful and zany, it has its own unique stamp that's incomparable to any other animated film, and like the best fictional worlds it feels lived in. And the animation style when jazz musician Joe Gardener (Jamie Foxx) falls from the stairway to the Great After displays such creativity and energy, it really displays the talents of everyone at Pixar.

I think one of the most stand-out things about Soul however is just how diverse the animated cast is. 90% of the main characters are black, which shouldn't really be a big deal, but it happens so rarely in animated films that it's great to see ethnic minorities represented in grander numbers than before. There's plenty of people who look like me, a white person, in animated films, but I like to see that same logic applied to people who don't necessarily look like myself, the racial groups who are not as well represented, and deserve greater recognition.

This also has one of the best casts in animated movies. Jamie Foxx is the perfect voice for Joe, and Tina Fey is delightfully giddy as Soul 22. Graham Norton gives a very good turn as Moonwind, and Richard Ayoade made me laugh a lot as Counselor Jerry B. Rachel House as the accountant Terry is a very neat fit for the character, and the Post-Credits Ferris Bueller gag got a chuckle from me, even if it is a joke that has been done a lot.

This film for me was like a mix of Ratatouille and It's A Wonderful Life, with the crazy body shenanigans of Jamie Foxx's Joe (in the body of a cat) having to guide Tina Fey's Soul 22 in his body through his own life without Soul 22 messing it up. It's very reminiscent of Remy's control over Linguini in the kitchen in Ratatouille, with the scenes regarding Soul 22 discovering the wonders of life whilst living inside Joe sharing certain similarities to the plot of It's A Wonderful Life.

Overall, Soul is a film I had lots of fun with. I hope they find a way to make a sequel work in years to come, as this has the potential for a franchise with bags of imagination and creativity. Soul is one of Pixar's finest efforts to date, with a great cast, breathtaking visuals and a plot that is sure to leave you wanting more.

What do you think about Disney/Pixar's Soul? Let me know in the comments.