Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 9, 2026

“Arco” represents the feature-length directorial debut for Ugo Bienvenu, also co-scripting the offering with Felix de Givry. The pair take on a science fiction tale of time travel, but they don’t obsess over the fine details of such adventuring, preferring to examine a more human response to unexpected friendship, and all the support it entails. It’s an animated picture working with a limited budget, but the production puts in great care when it comes to beautiful imagery and mysterious happenings, keeping viewers of all ages engaged while following the troubles facing a young boy from the future and the girl he befriends in a city of tomorrow. “Arco” is wonderful work from Bienvenu, who puts real care into the production, offering a tender understanding of emotional states and strong future world imagination.

Arco (voiced by Juliano Krue Valdi) is a 10-year-old boy living in the far-off future, and he possesses a strong desire to time travel via a special diamond-powered flight suit. However, he’s not old enough to participate, electing to steal his older sister’s suit and test his abilities. Arco ends up crashing back down to Earth in the year 2075, discovered by Iris (Romy Fay), a 10-year-old girl who’s dealing with family issues as her parents (Mark Ruffalo and Natalie Portman) are too busy with work to raise her and her baby brother. Robot Mikki (Mark Ruffalo and Natalie Portman) is meant to take care of Iris, but when the machine malfunctions, the child is left to handle Arco, who’s lost his special diamond. As they search for a way to return the visitor to his home, Iris and Arco become friends, learning about each other’s worlds. This peace is threatened by brothers Dougie (Will Ferrell), Stewie (Andy Samberg), and Frankie (Flea), who are obsessed with capturing the time traveler.

The flight suit is powered by a diamond, and it creates a stream of rainbow energy that trails the pilots as they work through their exploratory missions. It’s the first of many lovely and strange visuals in “Arco,” and there are relatable feelings at the foundation of the script, including Arco’s desire to be a big kid and take on the responsibility of time travel like his older sister. The family lives in the future, in buildings raising above the clouds, and they sleep in beams of blue light. The fine details of this existence aren’t pored over by the production, but just enough is handed to viewers to understand what Arco is leaving behind when he slips into a suit and tries out his first flight. He feels the joy of freedom, but can’t handle the technology, taking him to the world of 2075.

The second future in “Arco” is more recognizable, finding Earth an environmentally unstable place, putting residents inside large bubbles with the outside gets rough, allowing them to ignore the incredible dangers developing around them. Iris also has more personal problems, as she’s mostly raised by Mikki, frequently interacting with her parents in hologram form, left to manage the weight of loneliness. Bienvenu doesn’t get too dark, adding a comedy element in Vincent, Louis, and William, who offer the picture mildly bumbling ways and brotherly antagonism, giving the script a light feel for danger as the trio realize who Arco is. A partnership of sorts develops between Iris and Arco, giving the youngsters someone to share their feelings and fears with, strengthening their developing bond, giving the movie a nice feel for characterization and friendship as the girl struggles to find a way to return Arco to his time, even when she doesn’t want him to go.

Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

The image presentation for "Arco" provides a Dolby Vision viewing experience. Color is king in the feature, offering a rich sense of animated life. The rainbow ways of flight are distinct, along with community tours of 2075, which deliver powerful primaries and crisp greenery. Glowing red fire and subtle grayness of weather is compelling, and skin tones are natural. Blacks are deep, exploring limited lighting and shadowy encounters. Highlights are tasteful, with glowing holograms and bright skies. Detail explores softer animated textures, and design elements are open for inspection, along with wide open spaces. Encoding is somewhat troublesome, as "grain" mutates into blockiness. Compression mostly holds together, but banding creeps into view on occasion. The UHD handles this issue better than the Blu-ray.

Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The English 7.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers an immersive listening event for "Arco," leading with defined dialogue exchanges. Performance choices and emotional nuance is preserved, along with group activity, which registers distances with precision. Scoring handles with crisp instrumentation, and soundtrack selections offer sharp vocals. Surrounds are active, following elements of flying and vehicle pursuits with smooth panning effects. Separation is also alert with character position. Atmospherics are defined, along with sound effects. Musical moods fill the soundstage. Low-end handles rumbling environmental changes and flight activity. A French language version of the film is also included, with a 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix.

Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Storyboards (:32) are provided.

• Behind the Scenes (13:19, HD) explores the creation of "Arco," featuring interviews with co-writer/director Ugo Bienvenu, co-producer/co-writer Felix de Givry, co-producer/actress Natalie Portman, and co-producer Sophie Mas. The featurette mostly focuses on the partnership between Bienvenu and de Givry, with the pair developing their collaborations throughout various projects before taking on the enormity of "Arco." Portman and Mas show up later, offering praise for the production and they celebrate the labor involved in bringing the movie to life.

• Animatics to Animation (15:21, HD) highlights the creative development of "Arco" with co-writer/director Ugo Bienvenu and animatic artists Adam Scillar, Tamerlan Bekinsaim, and Jocelyn Charles. The interviewees discuss the evolution of "Arco" and its many artistic ideas, and footage comparing animatics with final animation are provided.

• "Song and Color" (6:34, HD) is an interview with composer Arnaud Toulon.

• "The Dubbing Room with Arco and Iris" (10:35, HD) provides an uncut look at the English dubbing for "Arco," with co- writer/director Ugo Bienvenu overseeing the recording and perfection of dialogue (via video conferencing) with child actors Romy Fay and Juliano Krue Valdi. It's an interesting inspection of this process, and the helmer's careful handling of young performers.

• Interview (7:24, HD) is a discussion of "Arco" with co-producer/actress Natalie Portman.

• Interview (9:34, HD) explores "Arco" with co-writer/director Ugo Bienvenu.

• Interview (5:37, HD) is a dual conversation with co-writer/director Ugo Bienvenu and co-producer/actress Natalie Portman.

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:06, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:01, HD) are included.

Arco 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Animation highlights are plentiful in "Arco," which resembles a cross between a Studio Ghibli production and 1981's "Heavy Metal," extending to the New Wave look of 2075 adults. Artistry is appreciable, and visual communication of flight is outstanding, providing the movie with many cinematic additions, but Bienvenu isn't creating an epic here. He's endeavoring to touch on relationships and the repair they require, and the screenplay has a nice way of subverting expectations when it comes to villainy. And there's plenty of excitement as well, exploring a school of 360 degree educational immersion, and bubble technology returns in the last act. "Arco" has a little difficulty managing a fluid path to a conclusion, but Bienvenu doesn't turn to Disney for inspiration, making sure to protect difficult feelings and bittersweet resolutions, which keeps the feature engrossing and deeply felt.