French director Ugo Bienvenu brings a refreshed take into animation – heavily inspired by the landscape of Japanese Anime. Arco is a science fantasy animation with its main themes in time travel and environmental awareness. In this English-dubbed version sees a star-studded cast.
It’s set between two worlds – the adventurous ten-year-old Arco (voiced by Juliano Krue) time travels from the future of 2932 into Iris’s world (voiced by Romy Fay) who lives in the year 2075. Arco is just too young to use the special time-travelling rainbow suits used by humans to transport themselves into the future.
But defiant in his ways, he steals his older sister’s suit and transports himself through time. However, his intended adventure doesn’t quite go to plan and he crash-lands into 2075. There he meets Iris – who lives quite a calming life before Arco jumps in with full energy and spirit into her world. Her parents, voiced by Natalie Portman’s Jeanne and Mark Ruffalo’s Tom are busy working in the city – she hears their voices through holograms as a technologically advanced robot takes over their parental duties.
Instead, the two leads are protected by a supporting older figure. Mikki – Iris’s caring and supportive lived-in nanny robot with a voice that unites her parents together in a unique vocal blend of Portman and Ruffalo. Throughout the film Mikki is busy chasing after Iris and looking after her younger brother, Peter.
But Iris’s love and trust for Mikki is a relationship worth investing in throughout this animated adventure alongside Iris’s friend, Clifford (voiced by Wyatt Danieluk). Although, as Arco sets on his quest to return home, he’s followed by a trio of clumsy conspiracy theorists – Dougie, Stewie, and Frankie to capture his cloak and prove that time travellers exist.
Arco‘s Colourful Visual Design
Arco’s strongest point lies in its visual design rather than its story. Its pretty animation creates an imaginative world and cleverly connects two young protagonists together through time. But as the adventure plays out the storyline becomes a little confusing. Its main visual is a bright rainbow. However, as the adventure becomes more dangerous its colour palette changes to dark brown. When the two leads separate in their journeys the emotional weight of the story is mainly told through colour change. From bright rainbow colours to darker and gloomier visuals.
Arco takes its inspiration from Studio Ghibli films with its 2D hand-drawn aesthetic. Although it doesn’t quite hold the lively nature of classic Studio Ghibli films. It may replicate its style but the story sweeps away from this. There’s a completely different vibe here and there was plenty of hype built up behind this film. One of its main themes of environmental awareness highlights a powerful message to our world today. We witness the blazing wildfire cause deforestation. Their adventure takes them to many different places with a focus on family, friends, and memories.
Arco: A Sweet & Sentimental Story
Ultimately, it’s the family bond between Mikki, Arco, and Iris that forms the sweet and sentimental heart behind this story. But their bond could have been placed more at the forefront of Arco. When both children feel a little lost in their worlds, Mikki acts as their parent away from home. He’s a robot with a soul which is perhaps unusual in this AI-developing world full of soulless technology.
The most powerful shot of the film comes when Mikki draws all the memories he’s experienced watching Iris grow up. However, the third act is extremely emotional and most likely brings out the tears in its audience not just the characters.
Although its visuals are full of rainbows, it’s story is full of emotion. Arco brings the adventure but also a heart-rendering story which does the right thing but at the expense of its leads and their friendship.
Rating: 3 Stars
Arco (2025) is available to watch on Amazon Prime UK now.
You can read our other reviews like Crime 101 (2025) here.