Bao Short Pixar Film Review

Courtesy of The Chew for this clip

A Beautifully Written Tale About Parenthood

When it comes to Pixar animation two things can almost be guaranteed – the visuals will be on point and emotions will be stirred. Premiered as the opening short at the beginning of The Incredibles 2, Bao is a beautifully written short film, one that taps into parental fears whilst injecting the right level of humour and emotional resonance to make it appealing to kids and parents alike.

The thematic tone and moral behind Bao is something kids may well miss but for parents, this is absolutely a must watch. While kids will still enjoy the visual flair and numerous humorous quips, it’s the way Bao manages to tap into the fear all parents feel about their child growing up and no longer needing them that really makes this one shine. The various life stages are smartly presented through the use of the dumpling and an Asian influenced score, eventually culminating in a touching, emotionally charged finale.

The range of emotions Pixar manage to conjure up during the film’s 7 minute run time is testament to the great work the team do. The film itself bears a lot of similarities to the beginning montage of UP which could easily be a short film in itself. Beginning with hopeful joy and twisting and turning through different emotional states, Bao features no spoken words but instead conveys its message through a combination of music and its characters.

With such a short run time, Bao is a fleeting experience but one that certainly packs one heck of an emotional punch. The characters are well presented and the Asian theme is accentuated through the beautifully written score and moral to the tale. It won’t be for everyone and some may find the tone a little depressing but Bao is another example of just how good Pixar can be at stirring your emotions while delivering an enjoyable, well presented animation in the process.