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God and Latinx Theology

Review of the Movie ‘The Book of Life’

The Book of Life is a beautiful video celebrating Mexican artwork, history, and

folklore. It looks to be a relationship story centred on the time of the deceased at first glance,

yet it goes beyond passionate love. The narrative is delivered in the style of a fairy tale, and it

confronts a severe issue through a bright perspective that combines heart, comedy, and music.

The film's central theme is intended to demonstrate how we may love people who have

passed away by commemorating them and studying their errors and regrets to improve

ourselves.

Conceptualization of Life

The book of life presumes life as an unending process that continues even after death.

The film provides some backstory for the eve of the Saints before actually landing on a very

classic love story. Outside our realm, there is the country of the remembering, where our

loving forefathers and mothers go once they depart and dwell in joyful, collective eternity,

governed by La Muerte. The Kingdom of the Unknown, nevertheless, is a lonely world where

a murmur may transform one into ashes. This is where one goes if no one in the world of the

residing acknowledges you, it is all ruled over by the frightening Xibalba, a greenish, glaring,

beast draped in lights and shackles. Xibalba, who is far less of a demon and further of a love-

struck prankster, initiates a wager with his lover Muerte. They select three closest

companions — two teenage lads and a little girl — and bet their kingdoms on which guy will

get to which girl. The victor will rule over the Kingdom of the Celebrated after their death.
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The movie then depicts the three children as they age up in Santa Angel, a touristy but

charming city in the heart of México (that is, of course, the central position of the world as

the movie depicts. Manolo is a brilliant bullfighter who hails from a famed bullfighting

dynasty. However, he despises the thought of killing animals and prefers to strum the guitars

instead. Joaquin is the child of a deceased military hero who has been tasked with saving

Santa Angel by the vicious robber Chacal. Maria, the mayor's daughter, is a fireball of a

highly schooled and opinionated; she and woman who shows Manolo the wrongs of

victimizing wildlife when she releases several lovely pigs initially in the movie.

Xibalba encourages Joaquin and Manolo's light-hearted competition for Maria in

somewhat formulaic but aesthetically innovative ways. When they indicate that a voyage to

the Kingdom of the Recognized and Neglected is in the future for most of the champions,

they are not disclosing any significant spoilers. If the human figures are supposed to resemble

intricately carved dolls, the deceased are merely sculpted wooden bones that are slightly

chevalier and surreal. In line with the movie's positive perspective on the hereafter, the world

of the recognized feels like a rollercoaster of emotions. Combined with a circus, a horizon

crowded with illuminated monuments, fortresses, squares, and helmet-shaped hot-air balloons

as much as the eyeball could see. There is no colouring palette; instead, there is only one

colour, which sounds plausible because we lose track of everything when we reach the

Kingdom of the lost.

A busy, vibrant, more-is-nearly-enough style might have moved easily off as tacky

and perplexing. But it does not work for some reasons. Maybe it is just that the visual grows

increasingly crazy as the plot gets more conventional. And that sensation of awe serves to

balance out the movie's more standard features. The champion's dependable adventure

through a graphically florid afterlife, for instance, becomes something we foresee instead of

just jadedly acknowledging when performed against such a deranged colourful landscape.
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Religious Experience

No one expected the Day of the Dead to be so enjoyable. The setting for "The Book

of Life" movie (Fox), an engaging and artistically impressive 3-D graphic picture, is the

Mexican commemorating All Souls Day tradition. Relatives customarily visit tombs on this

commemoration day to leave gifts at the gravesides of their departed loved ones in a

sentiment of remembering. Despite its Aztec origins, the practice's goals align with Catholic

doctrine, promoting devotion to the departed souls. In contemporary culture, the Day of the

Dead has frequently transformed into a Halloween-style party, complete with colorful skulls

and demonic images. Thankfully, this is neither the situation in "The Book of Life,"

thankfully. Instead, Jorge R. Gutierrez, filmmaker, and founder, utilize the holiday to

emphasize the importance of family ties.

Yes, there have been dancing ghosts, and the narrative has fantastical elements that

should be discussed with young children. However, this is just an innocuous fairy story. "The

Book of Life" is, at its heart, a love tale recounted to children on a historical tour by one of

the faculty's interpreters, Mary Beth (voice of Christina Applegate). She enacts her story with

handmade dolls that come to life. Close buddies Manolo and Joaquin have been in love with

the same lady, Maria (Zoe Saldana), from infancy in the Mexican community of San Angel.

Manolo is a hesitant professional wrestler driven into the ring to carry on his family's

extraordinary legacy. Manolo is a sweet, sensitive guy who prefers to produce lovely

melodies with his piano – and Maria. He serenades her with an unexpected mix of Elvis

Presley and Rod Stewart tunes. On the other side, Joaquin is a hulking macho military trying

to conform to his illustrious ancestors' legacy of fearsome warriors. Joaquin has a hidden

weapon that Manolo is unaware of: an indestructible metal (Gutierrez, 2014). The deity

Xibalba (voice of Ron Perlman), lord of the lonely Land of the Lost, an eternal torment realm

inhabited by the ghosts of individuals who had no one to intercede for them, bestowed this
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enchantment upon him. Xibalba wishes to leave his kingdom. As a result, he makes a bet

with his separated wife, the deity La Muerte (voice of Kate Del Castillo), and the supervisor

of the heavenly bliss Land of the Noticed. Maria is the focus of the wager. La Muerte will

grudgingly switch spots with Xibalba if she selects Joaquin as her mate.

Now that Xibalba has loaded the board in Joaquin's favor, things are not looking

suitable for La Muerte and Manolo. However, there will be various surprises as the action

travels back and forth between the three realms. Although "The Book of Life" is a fiction that

does not promote any specific faith, it does contain a presumed Catholic clergyman and a trio

of nuns among hundreds of supporting characters. Nonetheless, their portrayal is entirely

respectful. Whereas the tone is bright and the operation is comedic, numerous sad situations

in the film may terrify younger audiences.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Catholic viewers will agree with the film's message about respecting

the deceased loved ones: they have always been with them as much as they recall.

Nonscriptural religious concepts, somewhat terrifying situations, potty hilarity, and a few

minor Spanish swear are all present in the picture. Adults and youths are classified as A-II by

the Catholic News Source. The Movie Production American association has given it a PG

rating, which is suitable for children.

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Work Cited

Gutierrez, J. (2014). The Book of Life [Film]. Babylonia; Ahren Shaw.