The Book of Life

attracted me with its unusual imagery and the involvement of producer Guillermo del Toro, whose work always intrigues me.  After watching the 95-minute movie, I left the theater with decidedly mixed feelings.

The images were indeed not like those from any other mainstream animation studio.  Playful and reminiscent of toys, they were both easy to get used to and worthy of closer inspection when the film dragged, as it did on a few occasions.  The story was a simple one made only slightly more complex by attempts to conform less to gender stereotypes than most films, though at times those attempts rang forced and almost false.  The voice actors did a fine job.  Everything was fine.

What was missing, at least to me, was any sense of surprise or real heart, something that would add to the interesting animation to create a more intriguing creation. 

In the end, I'm happy enough to have seen the movie, but I won't seek it out again, and only its visuals will stick with me.  I recommend it only if you want to enjoy those visuals and don't mind the rest being decidedly middle-of-the-road.