'Xico's Journey' into the Mountains

Xico’s Journey (2021) is a 2D animated movie that features a strong representation of Latinx. The opening scene shows Copi flying her kite, inadvertently causing trouble for the townspeople. Copi is a fish out of water because she is disliked by the townspeople for her troublesome antics. The animation style is 2D. Copi is designed as a small Mexican girl with tan skin, large brown eyes, and long brown hair tied into a braid.

The motion of the camera shifts from the small Mexican town of San Jaime to the big city, where a businessman is planning to exploit resources from the mountains to make money and gain political power. The presentation foreshadows the businessman’s antagonistic personality and his evil intentions of destroying whatever and whoever is in his path, as his eyes see nothing but gold, an element hidden somewhere in the mountains.

From looking at the family photo, viewers can tell that Copi’s only relative is her grandmother, as her mother passed away prior to the events at the beginning of Xico’s Journey. Copi is also an only child, so she sees Xico as her best friend and sibling.

Xico hears voices from Mother Nature that something is wrong. This shows viewers that he is a spiritual dog, as he can sense sounds that no one else can hear. The voices foreshadow that something bad will happen.

The town meeting sets the events in motion for Xico’s Journey. The mayor has hired businessmen from the city to dig out gold from the mountains for the citizens of San Jaime. Except for Copi, Xico, and her grandma, all of the townspeople imagine what they would do with all the gold. Copi becomes upset when she learns that the mountain will be demolished and there will be new paved roads. After Copi overhears from her grandmother about the disappearance of her mother, Copi sets out on a quest to find her mother, who was last seen hidden in the mountains.

Xico changes from an ordinary dog to a talking dog; this shows the traits of a spiritual dog. Xico’s fur color also changes from black to blue, then green. Xico becomes a guide to the mountains. He notices the forest is dying; the trees are turning to stone. If the mountain isn’t saved, all the magic of nature will be gone.

The mountain itself symbolizes the power and magic of Mother Nature. Mother Nature is home to the magical animals hidden inside the mountains. The mountains keep the spirit of nature alive. The animal characters are colorful and can talk in complete sentences; the rabbit living outside the mountains talks in verses. The machines symbolize destruction. The businessmen’s evil intentions are hidden from the townspeople.

The scene change from Copi being stung by a large scorpion to the grandma feeling the pain of possible loss serves as the midway point of Xico’s Journey. The scorpion’s sting is fatal; as Copi got stung in the chest. If Copi doesn’t get better, she will soon die. Xico becomes determined to save his owner, so he goes deeper into the mountains to find the spirit of Copi’s mother. A flashback scene shows what really happened to Copi’s parents; Copi’s father was killed, so Copi’s mother had to stay with the spirits of the mountain. The scene color changes from colored to tan, indicating the bleak mood of what will happen if the mountain is not saved.

The climax is when the magic and power of the spirits of Mother Nature once again destroy the machines trying to tear the mountain down. The blue deer, the leader of the spirits, honors Copi and Xico for their bravery and actions that saved the mountains. The epilogue shows that those who do evil receive punishment; those who do good for others received a reward. The mayor has a change of heart after realizing the spirits are alive. Copi finally reunites with her mother; viewers learn Copi’s mother is alive all along.

Viewers learn that a girl who is considered a misfit can make the biggest difference in more ways than one. Therefore, Xico’s Journey is a great animated movie with a strong representation of Latinx.