Early reviews of Pixar's Soul say the film is a return to form for the studio, recalling the very best of Pixar's films. Soul, like pretty much every other 2020 film, has faced a difficult road to screens. The film was originally scheduled to be released in June before being delayed to November because of the continued closure of movie theaters. Disney initially disputed claims that it would land on their streaming service, Disney+, similar to Mulan. However, it was later announced that Soul would in fact be going straight to Disney+, landing on the service Christmas Day.
The film features the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Angela Bassett, and Phylicia Rashad. It will be the first Pixar film ever to feature a black main character, played by Foxx. Soul follows Foxx's character, Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher with dreams of jazz stardom who is separated from the soul inside his body. He must work with other souls in training to return to his body on Earth before it continues to the afterlife and before he misses his debut performance as a jazz artist.
Early reviews have hit the internet ahead of the film's release in December. So far, reviews have indicated that Soul is a return to form for Pixar after some uneven years. Reviews say that the film is a classic Pixar tearjerker, in line with the great animated films that the studio is known for. Check out some of the reactions below. For the full review, click on the corresponding link to check out reviewer's full thoughts.
Joe Utichi, Deadline
It’s a concrete return to the Pixar of old, full of grand ideas and original execution, and a statement of intent for Docter’s steering of the Pixar ship away from endless sequels and back to inventive originals. If it misses the mark at times, it remains a film with a deeply emotional core that feels like it comes from a place of genuine curiosity. In short, it has soul.
Kaleem Aftab, Indiewire
“Soul” remains a captivating journey. Like some of the best jazz compositions, it uses a traditional framework to veer off in many unexpected directions, so that even the inevitable end point feels just right.
Leslie Felperin, THR
While the music is still ringing in my ears and the tears still drying, it may be too soon to be sure, but I think the company's latest feature, Soul, premiering at the BFI London Film Festival, lands somewhere in the top echelons... The fact that it is also embedded in African-American culture and features a diverse voice cast is another sparkling facet. But thankfully, like Coco with its Mexican setting and Latino input, Soul manages to avoid feeling tokenistic or patronizing.
Jason Solomons, The Wrap
There is so much to enjoy and ponder in “Soul,” not least the predominance of African American characters and some fine music, with contributions from jazz luminaries including Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes and Jon Batiste. It will light up Christmas Day, no problem, but I felt some residual disappointment, a lingering tinge of regret that it doesn’t have the courage of all its convictions.
Alex Godfrey, Empire
There are some transcendental moments in this film, moments where the narrative so perfectly hits the animation, and you get swept away in it. There’s a place in The Great Before called The Zone, a window into the moments when we lose ourselves in what we’re doing, and at its best Soul itself makes you feel similar.
Wendy Ide, Screen Daily
Fittingly, given that the film’s life force is jazz, there’s a riffing, freeform inventiveness of approach which dances around the fact that the story plays out, partially at least, in a pensive minor key. Visually glorious, frequently very funny and genuinely profound, this is a picture which cries out to be seen on the big screen.
Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
But not only does Soul live up to Pixar’s own impossibly high standards, but it represents the very best the studio has to offer: beauty, humour, heart, and a gut-punch of an existential crisis. The children will laugh and cheer; the adults will sob until their muscles ache.
Early reviews seem to indicate a return to form of sorts for Pixar. While some reviewers seemed reticent to give it their full praise, most ultimately came to the conclusion that the new film was indeed worth the wait. Many highlighted the diverse cast and the focus on the African-American community in the film. Much like Coco, another diverse entry in a category where Pixar is severely lacking, the film's exploration of jazz's roots in the community is something that the film does well. Integrating this music into what critics are saying is a stellar soundtrack is another winning move for the film.
One thing that critics did seem upset with is the fact that the film isn't going to hit theaters. Mulan faced similar criticism when Disney took the gamble to release that film on the platform, one that may or may not have paid off. Soul, however, has the Pixar name behind it and will be releasing on Christmas Day, a time when families will be clamoring for something to watch all together. With critics saying this is one of the Pixar films that is made for both its adult and child audience, it seems to be a smart move to release it during the holidays, especially when families will still be hesitant to hit theaters.
Source: Various [see links above]
