French animated film, Arco, brings together gorgeous animation and touching characters to offer a futuristic story filled with hope.
NEON’s little animated film, Arco (which they snagged distribution rights to at Cannes this year) may have flown under your radar…I know it did mine. If it’s playing at a theater near you, however, I would definitely recommend taking the time to check it out.
Arco
Directed By: Ugo Bienvenu
Written By: Ugo Bienvenu and Félix de Givry
Starring [English Voice Cast]: Romy Fay, Juliano Krue Valdi, Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Mark Ruffalo
Release Date: November 14, 2025
I know, it’s probably not the best idea to give away my thoughts on the film at the top of the review, but it’s one of those striking films that lingers with you long after the credits rolled. The kind of film that leaves you wanting more (in a good way) and envisioning the world/stories these characters continue to have when it’s all said and done. It doesn’t hurt that it’s gorgeous looking to boot.
Arco’s story takes place in two different time periods, both set in the future. In the far future, things are peaceful and serene. Time travel is a common thing (along with human flight) via special suits and a refractive crystal. But even in the year 2932, ten year old kids have the same thirst for adventure—maybe a little mischief.
Arco wants to journey through time alongside his family, but the rules are straightforward: no flying until you’re 12. So when he, of course, sneaks off in the night with his older sister’s suit he ends up crash landing in the year 2075. There he meets Iris, a girl his age seeking companionship in a world that’s far more isolated.
What follows is a little adventure for the pair, as they work to get Arco back to his own time period while dodging officials, and some unscrupulous seeming people all at the same time. Think of it kind of like E.T. except with time travel. It’s the same brand of coming-of-age story that appeals to all generations.
Visually, Arco is stunning. It’s a blend of animation styles with heavy anime influences. Ghibli is likely going to be the one it’s compared to most, but it’s definitely not trying to be a copycat. Arco has its own flair, combined with some old-school rotoscoping animation that gives the world and characters a greater sense of depth/weightiness to their movements. It’s an interesting mish-mash, but the result is undeniable.
The film doesn’t beat around about it’s messaging. Arco comes from a time period where human interaction and family is essential to their survival. Whereas Iris’ time is most notable for people’s disconnection to one another. Robots tend to children while parents commute home only on the weekends (if then). There are attempts at connection as the adults sit through meals, even bedtimes, via holograms to give the appearance of being present, without actually doing so.
Every single house is separated via domes that, ostensibly, protect them from the wildfires and ecological disasters plaguing the community. The result is an entire community filled with people, yet almost completely isolated from one another. Hell, not having a robot in the house is something seen as weird/unusual.
Needless to say it’s a culture shock to both of Arco and Iris. As such, much of the story is about the two of them learning about one another and their ways of life; though Arco is adamant about being unable to reveal certain things about the future (no time paradoxes and whatnot here). This allows us, the audience, to learn about each of their worlds and how different, yet similar they are.
It’s an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, Arco’s future is something of a utopia, while Iris’ time period (the closest to our own), feels on the cusp of something world-shaking. I love how the film develops both of these worlds. There’s a bunch of great, subtle, world-building throughout. Much of it conveyed through the incredible animation, while the rest is highlighted in the characters’ reactions to the different things they learn about.
What stood out to me most, however, is how the film goes to lengths to show how both of these periods of time have joy and relatable aspects. It’s not the typical time-travel trope of going back into some horrible time where the world nearly ended. Instead, the troubles in Iris’ time are presented more subtly.
It’s not dystopian by any means, but you can see how humanity has begun to lose its way. The ever present fire disaster, and some references to product scarcity, make it clear this time period is headed for trouble if things don’t turn around. But even amongst all this, we see the joy Iris, even her infant sibling Peter, have in their lives. Her love for Mikki, and how he cares for them as well (despite being a robot) is heartfelt and genuine. Iris spends her time showing Arco the things she enjoys about her world, like any normal 10-year-old would with a friend.
In this way, the film does a phenomenal job of highlighting the things “wrong” in Iris’ timeline, without dwelling on them in a morose way. Presenting these aspects in a way that makes the messaging clear without the cynicism usually associated with these kind of stories. The overall tone of the film remains upbeat, a constant reminder to the audience that no matter how bad things are, there’s always a reason to find joy and hope.
It’s just great messaging, and presented in a way that’s easily recognizable to younger kids (without feeling like it’s dumbing things down), with some great character moments and visuals that make it easy to come back to time and time again. That said, there are some things I wish the script would have gone a little deeper on.
There are some aspects that feel glossed over too quickly, but could have opened up a wealth of story potential. Namely, the overall “conflict” in Arco trying to get home doesn’t really feel like much of a conflict. Up until the last little bit, there isn’t much sense of urgency or tension. The result is a film that feels more slice-of-life than the traditional narrative it’s set up for.
Still, it’s hard to knock it too much for that considering how great the journey we’re taken on is. I’ve made it clear over the years those kind of films aren’t my thing, but Arco kept me transfixed the whole time. The film’s overwhelming messaging of hope and the importance of friendship/togetherness, more than makes up for anything the script is lacking.
