Somehow, despite being huge Disney fans, neither of us had ever watched Coco.
With a free-to-enter, Day of the Dead-themed Coco scavenger hunt planned for the Inkbound Invitational Qualifier in Newport Pagnell, we decided it was finally time to sit down and discover the Land of the Dead for ourselves.
We wanted to understand the characters, music and world of Coco so we could bring its colourful spirit into the scavenger hunt and perhaps find a little inspiration for the Lorcana cards we would love to see in the future!
Jack’s Review
What did you like?
I loved the twist at the end surrounding the identity of Miguel’s real ancestor. I genuinely cried!
Visually, it is also one of the best films Disney and Pixar have ever produced. The Land of the Dead is absolutely stunning, and the colours, characters and spirit guides make it feel completely alive.
What didn’t you like?
I didn’t enjoy seeing Miguel emotionally blackmailed by his family. That said, there were very few things about the film that I didn’t appreciate or enjoy.
Jack’s Score
9/10
Which Coco cards do you want to see in Disney Lorcana?
- Dante in his spirit-guide form, complete with the Rush ability.
- A song called “Remember Me” that returns multiple characters from your discard pile.
- I need Ernesto de la Cruz as an Enchanted card!
Luke’s Review
What did you like?
I completely agree with Jack about the visuals. The Land of the Dead is breathtaking, while the spirit guides have been digitally created to perfection. Pepita in particular looks incredible whenever she appears on screen.
I also adored the meaning behind the songs and the way that meaning changes throughout the story even if none of them quite managed to break into my personal Disney top ten!
What didn’t you like?
Although I appreciate Disney exploring more adult themes in some of its films, the idea that somebody disappears forever once there is nobody left to remember them struck a very personal chord with me.
It tapped into some of my own insecurities surrounding growing older, passing away and eventually being forgotten. Because of that, parts of the film felt surprisingly raw and difficult to watch.
Luke’s Score
7/10
Which Coco cards do you want to see in Disney Lorcana?
- Pepita, the magnificent feline spirit guide, as an Enchanted card.
- More Singer characters!
- A card featuring Miguel and Hector as a team up!
Our Final Thoughts
While our scores may be different, we both came away impressed by Coco. It is visually spectacular, emotionally powerful and filled with characters that could translate perfectly into Disney Lorcana.
It has also given us plenty of inspiration for our free-to-enter Coco-themed scavenger hunt, taking place during the Inkbound Invitational Qualifier in Newport Pagnell.
We don’t want to reveal too much just yet... but expect hidden clues, familiar characters from the past, and a colourful journey inspired by the Land of the Dead!
Luke Franks
Tournament Manager
JTC Events