The Book of Life inspires the Living

The Book of Life takes viewers on a journey through three worlds. With a flavor of your typical love story, it can seem cliche. This movie, however, delivers an unprecedented twist.

Two best friends fall in love with the same girl, Maria (Zoe Saldana), who is sent away but comes back years later. It is then that the two best friends, Joaquin (Channing Tatum), and Manolo (Diego Luna), compete for the love of Maria.

The twist comes when La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), ruler of The Land of the Remembered, and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of The Land of the Forgotten,  place a wager on the two young best friends who are in love with the same girl. If Joaquin marries Maria, Xibalba will get to rule both underworlds. If Manolo marries Maria, La Muerte will get to rule both underworlds.

As the story unfolds, an unfortunate event takes Manolo to The Land of the Remembered where he must conquer his fears and meet a challenge in order to go back to with the living and win the love of Maria. While Manolo is in The Land of the Remembered, Joaquin is by Maria’s side, defending the town and defending his love for her.

The movie shows The Land of the Remembered with vibrant colors, floats of all sorts, fiestas on every corner, and beautiful Mexican art. The Land of the Forgotten depicts what kind of world those who have passed on and aren’t remembered on the Day of the Dead live in.

As the two best friends compete for the love of Maria, we follow an adventure through culture. The beliefs of Day of the Dead mark the journey of the two boys and shows viewers the beauty in life and death.

The Book of Life has scenes that make us laugh and scenes that make us sad. The characters are animated beautifully with aspects of Mexican culture. Luna’s courage, Tatum’s charm, and Saldana’s love make The Book of Life a must-see. Lessons of love, appreciation, and standing up to your fears make a great story in which you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and the culture.