Movies

An ambitious take on Ted Hughes' 1968 children's book The Iron Man, director Brad Bird's The Iron Giant works well as both archetype-infused allegory and heartstring-tugging tale of friendship. Set in small town Maine in the 1950s at the height of Cold War paranoia, the film explores the relationship between a lonely, fatherless boy (a photo on a nightstand hints that the father was a combat pilot killed in WWII) and a monstrously huge, hulking metal behemoth (the origins of which are brilliantly left to the imagination). The animation marks a welcome contrast from the virtually ubiquitous Disney template, with the human characters bearing a stylized, comic book exaggeration that fits perfectly with the story material. The Iron Giant has more than enough imagination and sparkle to interest kids and adults, and nicely balances its action-adventure aspirations with a solidly-crafted sense of moral purpose.

Belated review written in 2017.Animation has greatly advanced in the last few decades but nonetheless this entry, at the turn of the millennium, is special.It marked the debut of writer/director Brad Bird, now considered a god in the animation studio.The story is so simple it almost seems unworthy. But in the hands of a master, what you will see is perfection in writing and directing and casting and voice work.Suitable for all ages, will remain a classic for years to come.

This certainly ranks as one of the finest examples of cinema in recent pop culture memory. Intelligent, funny, tragic, and deeply moving, we'd be so lucky to ever see an American animated film strike such chords again. The look of the film is superb, and it's underlying themes and messages resonate even more strongly today. Containing a boldly pacifist theme, the film tells a story of a mechanism of war--meant to destroy--that, through the innocence of a little boy, learns to sacrifice in the name of peace and understanding, as apposed to killing in the name of ownership and power. I hope,as years pass, more and more people come to discover this gem so that they can share their experience with the Iron Giant, as well.