Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the explosive allure of ocean volcanoes, Lava is a musical love story that takes place over millions of years.
Lava is a charming Pixar short with a sweet, simple musical love story set against stunning Hawaiian volcanic imagery. The cinematography captures lush tropical beauty effectively for its runtime, and the musical format gives it a distinctive folk-song quality. However, the plot is thin even by short-film standards — two volcanoes singing about loneliness until they meet — and the 'acting' (voice/performance) is serviceable but unremarkable. Its novelty lies in the unique musical storytelling device and Hawaiian cultural flavor, though the emotional beats are straightforward. The ending is heartwarming but entirely telegraphed from the opening minutes.