Arco Review: This Astro Boy-influenced Animated Sci-Fi Is A Feast For The Eyes

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Let me tell you about Juliano Valdi – this kid is incredible! He’s unbelievably fast, zooming around in a bright pink suit and rainbow cape. You wouldn’t guess it, but he actually spends his days helping out on the family farm. The really wild part? His parents, played by America Ferrera and Roeg Sutherland, just got back from a trip… a trip to the prehistoric past with dinosaurs! It’s set way in the future, but the movie, called ‘Juliano Valdi,’ looks like it came straight out of the 1950s with its amazing retro animation. Everything’s different – the Earth is completely underwater, and people live in these huge treehouse-like buildings way up in the sky!

Despite rules against children flying, a young boy takes his sister’s cloak and launches himself into the night sky. He quickly loses control and crash-lands in a forest, but not in his own time – he arrives in the year 2075. There, he meets Iris, a girl who’s run away from her robotic school. The boy comes from a future where people have escaped rising sea levels, while Iris lives in a time ravaged by extreme weather. Through these two vastly different futures, the story explores themes of discovery and survival that resonate with the challenges we face today.

Arco Uses Its Animation Style To Urge Us Towards A Rare Climate Optimism

Despite dealing with complex themes, the animated short Arco is ultimately optimistic and focuses on the journey of young love and finding oneself. Its visual style is reminiscent of a hopeful era of scientific advancement, like the excitement surrounding the first moon landing, and draws inspiration from classic shows like Star Trek, The Jetsons, and Astro Boy – all of which envisioned space travel as a path to progress. Through this nostalgic approach, the creator suggests that even if we can’t fix climate change right away, we still possess the means to build a better future.

The future isn’t necessarily bright if we depend too much on technology. In the film, when Arco arrives in 2075, he discovers that the world hasn’t fixed its problems – it’s just learned to cope with constant disasters, like major floods and wildfires. Most tasks are now handled by human-like robots. For example, Iris’s parents are away on business, so they appear as holograms for dinner while a robot named Mikki – voiced by the same actors playing the parents – manages the household.

Iris explains that her teachers, and almost everyone else – from custodians to firefighters – are robots. To shield against harsh weather, buildings are covered by large, clear domes. People still receive mail, but Iris says it’s always bad news, so no one bothers to check it. Surprisingly, people still go to stores, which Arco finds amazing, since everyone in his era lives in completely self-sufficient homes. This makes him wonder: even if we manage to survive difficult times, what are we losing by becoming even more disconnected from the natural world?

Arco is determined to return to his own time, but he lost a vital component of his time-travel suit during his arrival – a special jewel that bends light. Without it, he’s stuck unless a very unusual weather event occurs: sunshine during a heavy downpour. Iris tries everything she can to help Arco get home, even attempting to create the necessary weather herself. She sets off a large number of sprinklers on a sunny day, but her efforts don’t work.

Aside from the strange events happening around town, the main antagonists are three silly brothers – Dougie, Stewie, and Frankie (played by Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, and Flea). This goofy trio, always sporting matching pastel suits, turtlenecks, and oversized sunglasses, have been trying to figure out the source of the colorful rainbows for years. While they’re not truly menacing, they constantly cause trouble for the two main characters.

As the town prepares for a major wildfire, Iris and Arco search for the jewel. Along the way, they meet both law enforcement and a group of three brothers, forming a connection through their shared passion for birds and a desire for a brighter future. The author, Bienvenu, portrays the optimism of young people through their experiences. However, the character of Mikki hints at the problems with forming emotional bonds with robots and technology.

The film Arco concludes with a stark reminder of the dangers of climate change. However, despite its serious message, it also envisions a hopeful future centered on strong family and community bonds. Through beautiful animation and a unique visual style, Arco encourages us to remember a time when we imagined the future as something bright and full of possibility.

Arco is in theaters on November 14.

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2025-11-13 21:40