The Book of Life

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The Book of Life

PG

Released Oct 17, 2014

1h 35m

Kids & Family

Comedy

Adventure

Fantasy

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

126 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In the Mexican town of San Angel, Manolo (Diego Luna), Maria (Zoë Saldana) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have been friends ever since childhood. Although their lives have taken different paths -- Maria was sent to Europe, Joaquin joined the military, and Manolo studied to become a bullfighter -- one thing remains the same: Manolo and Joaquin both want to marry Maria. Little does the trio know that battling husband-and-wife deities have made a high-stakes wager on the love triangle's outcome.

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Critics Consensus

The Book of Life's gorgeous animation is a treat, but it's a pity that its story lacks the same level of craft and detail that its thrilling visuals provide.

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Jake Wilson

Sydney Morning Herald

Though the plot gets a bit congested, the film remains far less predictable than most of its kind.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 2, 2015

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

It's refreshingly sparky fare, boasting eye-catching design (wooden toys inspire CG magic), musical weirdness (Radiohead will never sound the same again) and proper laugh-out-loud jokes for young and old alike.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 26, 2014

Full Review

Mar Diestro-Dópido

Sight & Sound

Drawing on Mexican folklore and other Latin American traditions, Jorge R. Gutirrez's version of death in his beautiful, witty 3D-animated debut The Book of Life is bursting with vibrant colours and magic -- a constantly expanding, neverending party.

Oct 24, 2014

Full Review

Rolando Gallego

EscribiendoCine

The Book of Life fulfills its premise and contributes its specific uniqueness to the animated universe... [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Dec 29, 2023

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Williamson Home Page

The Book of Life, like the best animated films, has its own tone, which helps it stand apart as its own thing. The music, a mix of original songs and fun takes on pop hits, is also worthy of praise.

Feb 11, 2022

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

An unexpected delight for all ages.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 8, 2021

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Chris G

I absolutely love this movie, it has a great story plot, and a great message of being your true self, and you can do almost anything

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/15/24

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TROY S

Overall, The Book of Life was an enjoyable movie that had amazing animation. A lot of its design choices and characters are insanely creative and just stunning.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/15/24

Full Review

William B

More fun than Coco. Somewhat underrated

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/11/24

Full Review

matthias s

*The Book of Life* gets 2.5 stars from me. The animation style just didn't work for me—too clunky and distracting. While the vivid colors are a visual treat, the story itself is just okay and a bit predictable. It reminds me of *Coco*, but *Coco* executes everything much better. The voice cast is excellent, bringing a lot of charm to their characters, but the movie feels generic even for a family film. I did enjoy the songs, but I wish they had gone for original tracks instead of relying on covers. It's not a bad watch, but it's easily forgettable and lacked the emotional depth or engagement I was hoping for. I wasn’t completely bored, but it didn’t pull me in either.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

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Giovanny C

Good classic story. Boys meet girl then the plot thickens. As a Mexican myself, I appreciate the cultural references. While the pop mainstream songs chosen for the movie work, it is a huge missed opportunity to have used authentic classic Mexican songs.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

Full Review

Luke R

Such a great movie! Before this film I got terrified by Death’s inevitable. After watching The Book of Life, it showed me that there is hope of the Afterlife!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/13/24

Full Review

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Jorge R. Gutierrez

Director

Diego Luna

Manolo

Zoe Saldana

Maria

Channing Tatum

Joaquin

Ice Cube

The Candle Maker

Ron Perlman

Xibalba

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Synopsis

In the Mexican town of San Angel, Manolo (Diego Luna), Maria (Zoë Saldana) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have been friends ever since childhood. Although their lives have taken different paths -- Maria was sent to Europe, Joaquin joined the military, and Manolo studied to become a bullfighter -- one thing remains the same: Manolo and Joaquin both want to marry Maria. Little does the trio know that battling husband-and-wife deities have made a high-stakes wager on the love triangle's outcome.

Director: Jorge R. Gutierrez
Producer: Guillermo del Toro, Aaron D. Berger, Brad Booker, Carina Schulze
Screenwriter: Jorge R. Gutierrez, Doug Langdale
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Reel FX Creative Studios, Chatrone, 20th Century Fox Animation
Rating: PG (Mild Action|Brief Scary Images|Rude Humor|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.1M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital

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