This film is one of the smartest and most wonderful animated films I've ever seen. The film is set in the 1950s and satirizes the Red Scare. The amazing attention for detail brings this era to life in a vibrant way. While it address the paranoia of its era and the issues of the Cold War, it does so under the surface. At its core, the film is simply about a boy and his giant pet robot.
The story (very similar to E.T.) follows that boy named Hogarth (Eli Marienthal), who discovers a 100-foot robot in the woods. Hogarth befriends a beat nick artist named Dean (Harry Connick Jr., INDEPENDENCE DAY), who helps him hide the giant in his junkyard. Sightings of the robot are heard around town and a paranoid government agent named Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) comes to town to investigate. Because it quickly becomes too difficult to hide a mental munching 10-story-sized robot, Hogarth must especially use all his wits when his mother (Jennifer Aniston, TV's FRIENDS) takes Mansley in as a border.
In addition to the wonderful writing, adapted from Ted Hughes's book by Tim McCanlies and the uncredited Brad Bird, and breathtaking animation, the film is blessed with a great voice over cast that also includes Vin Diesel (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, XXX) as the Iron Giant. With such star power as Aniston and Diesel, the most amazing performance is actually by young Marienthal as Hogarth. He's done some live-action work in both AMERICAN PIE films and Disney's new stinker THE COUNTRY BEARS, but in IRON GIANT, he nails some of the best lines I've heard in any film. Hogarth's grace, his reaction to the Giant doing "arts and crafts," his introduction to espresso, and the line, "Welcome to downtown Coolsville! Population: us." The wit of the dialogue in this "kids" film puts so many adult comedies to shame.
The film masterfully deals with issues of friendship, being yourself and military paranoia with a keen sense of style and humor. This film works on multiple levels and has great stuff for adults and kids. This is a film that I dare adults to rent without kids -- if you don't you're missing out on a very overlooked classic that will only increase in popularity now that it's airing on television regularly. I also dare you to remain dry eyed at the end; not since BAMBI has an animated film so moved me.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
