Full Metal Genius (The Iron Giant (DVD))

Member Name: SWSt

Product:	The Iron Giant (DVD)
Date:	26/11/07 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny, touching, well-voiced and animated characters, charming

Disadvantages: Purists will rage against the pillaging of Ted Hughes' original story

Looking at my back catalogue of film reviews, you might be surprised to find that I rate the Iron Giant so highly. After all, the two animated films I've reviewed (Cars and Ratatouille) haven't fared that well. The Iron Giant, though, is something a little different and a little special.

Loosely based on the Ted Hughes short story of the same name, it sees a young boy befriend a giant robot and then seek to protect it from bigoted adults who want to destroy it.

It's that simplicity which makes The Iron Giant so appealing. It's a simple story, simply told. There are no attempts to complicate matters with a silly backstory about where the robot has come from, or why it is there, or who built it or whatever. It just is. We are given the situation, and then watch the consequences unfold onscreen as boy and robot become best friends. It's an easy and charming enough tale for younger children to understand; whilst adults will also appreciate the way the story is told.

When the Iron Giant was released, it was criticised in some quarters for not using computer generated images, relying instead on more traditional animation techniques. In my opinion, this actually adds to the film's charm. OK, so from a purely aesthetic point of view, The Iron Giant is never going to match the offerings of Pixar, but it does give the film a unique identity. There's a slightly unusual, quirky look to the characters - particularly the human ones - and this is somehow apt and appealing. The use of "old-fashioned" techniques perfectly complements the slightly nostalgic feel surrounding the whole film (it is set in the 50s in a "perfect" Maine village).Just because the film uses "old fashioned" techniques doesn't automatically mean it is bad. Far from it. Some of the sequences are incredibly impressive and just as visually stunning in their own way as anything Pixar's over-worked computers could come up with. Each frame drips love, care and attention of their human animators. This alone makes it almost impossible not to love.

Badly handled, the film could have been saccharin sweet - as bad as some of the more vomit-inducing offerings from the House of Mouse. However, it's all handled very sensitively, so that these feel like real people and real places, and you soon warm to them and want to be part of their lives.

What stops the film from descending into sickly-sweet territory is the unexpected, but highly welcome sense of humour the film displays throughout. The humour never feels forced, but is very natural. Characters aren't forced to spout ridiculous gags, or put into increasingly ludicrous situations just to try and force some comedy. Instead, the humour arises from the natural, easy-going relationships between the main characters. In particular, the relationship between young boy Hogarth Hughes, his mother and FBI Man Kent Mansley provides some wonderfully funny moments. The humour is easy going and at times VERY funny. Witness young Hogarth kitting himself out to go into the woods to find out what "ate" his TV ariel; or saying Grace whilst trying to distract his mother from the presence of a giant robot arm. Watch these sequences, and I defy you not to laugh!

The voice talents do a pretty good job too. Although there are a couple of big names (Jennifer Anniston as Hogarth's mother and Harry Connick Junior as Hogarth's friend, Dean), there is no showboating from them and they don't try and dominate the film. Instead, they turn in natural, understated performances and let others have much of the limelight. The two key performances really come from Christopher MacDonald as alien-obsessed FBI Man Kent Mansley and Eli Marienthal as young Hogarth. MacDonald nails the sleazy FBI man perfectly, making him so unctuous and nauseating that you'll be desperate to see him get his comeuppance. It's young Marienthal, however, who really shines. He perfectly captures both the innocence and mischief of young boys everywhere and makes Hogarth a hugely likeable character, and the source of much of the humour.

What is really pleasing is that the film has real heart, without ever being over-sentimental. Even to a spiteful old curmudgeon like myself, it's surprisingly moving at times. The central relationship between Hogarth and the robot (voiced by Vin Diesel) is really heart-warming and convincing. Come the final sequences in the battle between the army and the robot, you'll really be rooting for the alien, not the humans! All these elements - animation, characters, voices and humour - come together to create a thoroughly enjoyable, likeable film.

In addition to a strong heart, the film also has delivers a strong moral message ("guns are bad"; "you can choose what you want to be" etc.). Yet, these are not too overbearing, unlike some of the methods adopted by certain other studios (yes, Mickey, I'm looking at you again). True, at times they are a little obvious, but at the same time, they all flow naturally from the dialogue that surrounds them or the situations the characters are in.

The Iron Giant is one of those rarities: a true, family film which really can be enjoyed by everyone. Heck, I'm a grumpy old man with no kids and I love it! It's a wonderful, funny, heart-warming film. About the only criticism I can think to lay against it is that it is only VERY loosely based on the original Ted Hughes book. But then, that's just par for the course where Hollywood is concerned and whilst it may annoy purists or fans of the book, it shouldn't really come as any surprise, nor does it weaken the appeal of this little gem.

Basic Information
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The Iron Giant
1999
Director: Brad Bird
Running time: approx. 86 minutes
Certificate: U

Best Bit:
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Hogarth's manic "Grace" before lunch, as he desperately tries to distract his mum from a giant robot arm!

© Copyright SWSt 2007

Summary: A real gem: a kid's film that truly can be watched by all ages.