Robots |
  • USA • 2005 • 91m •    • Directed by: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha. • Starring: Paula Abdul, Halle Berry, Lucille Bliss, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Broadbent, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Dylan Denton, Will Denton, Marshall Efron, Damien Fahey. • Music by: John Powell.      Even in a world populated entirely by mechanical beings Rodney Copperbottom is considered a genius inventor. Rodney dreams of two things, making the world a better place and meeting his idol, the master inventor Bigweld. On his journey he encounters Cappy, a beautiful executive 'bot with whom Rodney is instantly smitten, the nefarious corporate tyrant Ratchet who locks horns with Rodney, and a group of misfit 'bots known as the Rusties, led by Fender and Piper Pinwheeler.
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Review:
Blue Sky Studios' animation has improved; the movie's never less than fine to look at with its impressive designs and movements, and apart from Halle Berry as the closest thing to a love interest, the voice cast is a plus (although some of the substitutions on the UK release version are a distraction, particularly Terry Wogan as the voice of the villain's father - on the other hand, Cat Deeley is more...er...worthy of being thrown away than Natasha Lyonne, let's leave it at that); Jim Broadbent as the villain's mother (!), Paul Giamatti as Bigweld's guard, Greg Kinnear as the villain, Amanda Bynes as Piper ("Rhymes with 'viper'") and yes, Robin Williams as Fender (rhymes with Bender... and there is a robot with a distinct bottom reference) in particular deserve a bow.
What doesn't work quite so well is the attempt to find a good balance between comedy and sentimentality; the script could have been a bit more subtle in its "You don't have to be new to be good" and "To thine own self be true" messages, worthy morals though they are. The movie's fondness for some groaner jokes - like "Bicentennial Man," it even works in a joke about flatulent robots ("We were using our ARMS!!!" wails Piper when Aunt Fan takes it to the ultimate) - and a battle climax that somehow doesn't fire on all cylinders as it should also reduce the overall effect; it's entertaining, but it doesn't carry much emotional weight, not helped by John Powell's uneven score.
On the other hand, it doesn't carry much emotional weight, but it IS entertaining - the obligatory references to other movies etc manage to not outweigh the plot (although having Fender beat up villains to Britney's "(Hit Me) Baby One More Time" was a mistake), it's got plenty of energy and humour, and it winds up a good and heartening tale... even if it's not on the level of Pixar. What it lacks in invention in its storyline it makes up for with good intentions and spirit; I would love it if major American studios could do some more action-adventure based animation features along with (not instead of) family-intended movies, rather than letting Japan have that territory all to itself, but at least they're making good ones.
One thing though; the Melanie Blatt song tacked onto the UK release print is not only an obvious tack-on (and gruesomely out of place - both musically and because the song finishes before the end credits do!) but not a patch on the theme for "Cubix." Come on, some of you have to know it - "In the future not too far away, it's the dawning of an all new dayRobots for everyoneMachines that care can be our friend, side by side until the endRobots for everyone...".
Review by Victor Field from the Internet Movie Database.
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