On December 25, the new animated film 'Soul' premiered on Disney+ — should we expect it to uphold the studio's high standards, or is Pete Docter simply recycling ideas he tried to implement in 'Inside Out' back in 2015?

A Brief Overview of the Plot

We'll discuss the plot very briefly to avoid spoiler territory, because — spoiler alert! — we recommend you check out 'Soul' on your own when it releases in Russia in January 2021.

Joe Gardner loves jazz more than anything in the world and dreams of becoming a full-fledged member of a popular quartet — but just when he gets his chance, an accident sends his soul on a path to the afterlife. Unwilling to accept this fate, Joe finds a loophole in the form of the road to Earth for newborn souls, where he meets the skeptical 22, who just can't find the 'spark' needed for the journey and eventual birth on Earth.

Doubts About Anthropomorphic Fluffballs

After watching the trailer and some additional materials, many had fairly justified concerns that the film would try to become a second 'Inside Out' — after all, here too Pete Docter resorts to depicting abstract concepts on screen: in 'Inside Out' it was emotions, in 'Soul' it's the afterlife. And... yes, that's exactly the case.

The second act is entirely composed of cute anthropomorphic blue blobs that exist and interact adorably. Perhaps there wouldn't be a problem with this if the first act — the entire setup taking place on Earth — weren't so good and fresh. The imagery, steeped in the rhythm of New York's outskirts and saturated with jazz, truly allows the viewer to connect with the main character, someone you want to empathize with. But no.

Throughout the film, I couldn't shake the feeling that Pixar is simply afraid to attempt making an entire movie without its signature cute characters. In its time, 'The Incredibles' was appealing precisely because it tried to carry the drama through human relationships, without funny animals or imaginary beings. Of course, there's the argument that animation aims to depict what can't be achieved with live actors and cinematography, but the boundaries between animated and live-action films are becoming increasingly blurred, especially thanks to Marvel, where more is drawn than shot the old-fashioned way.

'Soul' had enormous potential to become an atmospheric, stylish, and very personal story about jazz and the pursuit of a dream. But what the result would have been, we'll never know.

Problems in the Second and Third Acts

So, unfortunately, the part of the story concerning the depiction of abstract concepts on screen sagged a bit (except for the characters named Jerry and Terry, who turned out extremely intriguing and amusing). However, at some point we return to Earth and...

A small twist occurs in the plot, which personally pulled me out of the narrative for several reasons that can't be mentioned without spoilers. This twist felt contrived and incredibly clichéd, and only the stunning animation and the emotional connection that had formed between the characters and the viewer by that point managed to pull it out of the depths of hopelessness. Moreover, this connection proves so strong that at some point you catch yourself thinking you no longer care about the plot and simply enjoy watching the characters exist on screen.

Regarding the Climax

It's powerful. The climax is very powerful. You won't cry, you won't suffer, you won't fear for the characters, because you know that somehow everything will be fine (it's Pixar, after all!). However, the lesson this film tries to impart turns out to be quite unexpected and very true to life, capable of touching the heartstrings of anyone with a dream.

Moreover, I distinguish two different climaxes that follow one another — a personal one and a general one. While the general climax provides a logical conclusion to all storylines and leads us to the film's ending, the personal one is tied precisely to a certain understanding and revelation for Joe, and for me, it became the apotheosis of everything the film was trying to say. It's a shame it was slightly blurred by the lengthy action that followed it.

What Does 'Coco' Have to Do with It?

While the connection between 'Soul' and 'Inside Out' is obvious, the associations and echoes with 'Coco' can only be noticed after some reflection. In a sense, these films are thematically very connected — the main character is in love with music, his relatives don't understand this love, at some point the hero ends up in the otherworld (read: the world of the dead) and tries to find a way out to fulfill his dream.

And here an extremely interesting point emerges — the endings of both films are to some extent antagonistic to each other. After all, a dream is a dream, but life is an extremely complex and tangled thing, and not everyone is fortunate enough to achieve that dream. The theme invites debate. As for whether the main character managed to achieve his goal or not — you can find out for yourself very soon. Even though this isn't Pixar's best film, we sincerely recommend all fans to check it out. You won't regret it.