I don’t think I’m the only one who has been a little disappointed by Pixar’s last couple of offerings, Onward and Soul. For me, they didn’t have the same level of heart or spark that I have come to expect from my favourite animation studio. I remember when Pixar releases were once every 12-18 months, but their latest film Luca is their fourth release in only two years (!) and whether their accelerated timeframe has something to do their loss of magic is a question that I have to ponder.

That being said, if Enrico Casarosa can channel the brilliance of his Pixar short, La Luna, into his full length feature film directorial debut then he may just be the man to get the studio out of their rut.

In the fictional picturesque seaside town of Portorosso, on the beautiful Italian Riviera, the legend of the fearsome sea-monsters that dwell in the surrounding waters has been passed down from generation to generation. Dubious sightings and fleeting glimpses are enough to make newspaper headlines and offers of substantial award money. Meanwhile, beneath the surface, Luca Paguro is a curious but well-behaved pre-teen who is more than a little bored with his life and is dreaming about the wider world. When he meets the free-spirited but lonely Alberto, the pair quickly become fast friends and Luca learns that they can take on human form when on dry land.

Worried about Luca, his overprotective parents threaten to send him to stay with an uncle in The Deep in order to keep him safe so the two friends decide to hide out in the human world until they can find a way, preferably on a Vespa, to travel the world free from rules. In Portorosso, they meet Giulia – a fellow outsider and underdog – and together they team up to win the annual Portorosso Cup Race so they can use the prize money to buy their Vespa.

Together, the trio have a summer full of fun, adventure and a whole lot of pasta but Luca and Alberto’s deeply-held secret threatens their friendship and their life above the surface.

Thankfully, although not quite there, it does feel as though Pixar have managed to get some of their spark back with this one.

Those of you familiar with La Luna will recognise some of the stylistic choices made in this film. Although it’s a stark contrast to the hyper-realism of New York City or the ethereal abstractionism of the ‘Great Before’ in Soul, Luca‘s somewhat old school animation encapsulates the 1950’s aesthetic and is a perfect backdrop for the playfulness and adolescent innocence that Casarosa is trying to portray.

Along with the beautiful animation, Casarosa’s characters are brought to life by some brilliant voice work. Maya Rudolph adds to her already impressive voiceover catalogue, as Luca’s over protective mother Daniela, alongside Jim Gaffigan as her husband, Lorenzo. Saverio Raimondo is delightfully villainous as the bully Ercole and Sacha Baron Cohen’s turn as the eccentric oddball, Uncle Udo, is hilarious to watch even though he is only on screen for a couple of minutes.

Emma Berman’s red-headed tomboy outsider Giulia is loud yet charming, her enthusiasm is infectious and she gives off similar vibes to a young Ellie in the opening sequence of Up. Which is in no way a bad thing. Jack Dylan Glazer’s Alberto is slightly more subdued (only just) than Giulia but he does carry some of the more weighty, poignant themes; his confidence and worldly ‘knowledge’ masks his feelings of abandonment and loss.

Rounding off the group is Jacob Tremblay’s wide-eyed, curious and playful Luca. From his emotionally powerful feature film debut in the Oscar winning Room to his brief yet impactful inclusion in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, Tremblay’s body of work is impressive, if not a little dreary, so it’s great to see him have fun with this role and his youthful exuberance translates well on the screen.

Although Luca may not be Pixar’s most original film to date – there are some strong similarities with Disney’s A Little Mermaid – the whimsical tone and compelling themes indicate that the studio are finally getting their mojo back. With their next film, Turning Red, set for release in March 2022, let’s hope the can deliver us something even more magical.