THE Book of Life is a vibrant animated adventure full of warmth, humour and character.

Not bad going for a film which has death as one of its central premises.

Director Jorge R. Gutiérrez and producer Guillermo del Toro celebrate Mexican culture and folklore as a school class learns about The Day of the Dead through a story about two friends.

Bullfighter Manolo (Diego Luna) and moustachioed military man Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have been together since childhood but their friendship is tested when they compete for the love of Maria (Zoë Saldana)

Little does the trio know that battling husband-and-wife deities have made a high-stakes wager on the love triangle's outcome.

In tried and true fashion, the children's film has a moral to the story about stepping out from the shadow of your family to be true to yourself and following your own path.

But what is refreshing about The Book of Life is that it helps youngsters comprehend death without frightening them through the film's three worlds, The Land of the Living The Land of the Remembered and The Land of the Forgotten.

Maria is also no Disney princess. The feisty love interest challenges female stereotypes and is a good strong role model for any young girl.

The film's animated style is also superb with the characters given an exaggerated wooden puppet style. It is a reminder how far technology has come.

Add to that snappy direction, plenty of humour and brilliant mariachi versions of songs by Mumford & Sons, Radiohead, Elvis Presley and Rod Stewart and you have a brilliant story for all the family.