Review of Astro Boy (2009) by Aaron A — 10 Jul 2011

"Onward and upward".

Synopsis: Astro Boy, a young robot created by Dr. Tenma, embarks on a dangerous odyssey, navigating unknown territory in search of purpose before returning home to save his loved ones.

The film's chief weakness is it's scripting of the mainline story. By that I do not mean the actual scenarios, as they are solid (if unremarkable), but the dialogue by which the scenarios are told. Far too many lines are far too mundane; lacking anything resembling subtlety, the cinematic equivalent of being hit by a wrench on top of your head. This blunt approach coupled with it's direction, make for a animated film that feels afraid to take the necessary time to connect with it's audience and makes for a lousy payoff. In addition to the flat writing, the acting seams compelled to follow suite. Just about all of the grown ups within the story are voiced by flat dialogue reads, it's not a deal breaker, but it makes it much harder to get into the film when the characters lack conviction.

The picture's primary strength is it's visuals. The world in which Astro boy lives is magnificently detailed and pretty. Silky smooth and incredibly detailed futuristic Metro City is a wondrous setting, especially when you foil it to the equally beautiful decaying trash heap below the floating city, and the character models (especially the titular hero) are just as handsome.

The great bulk of the laughs and comedic cleverness are manifested in scenes which feature a variety of great supporting characters, including a robotic spray bottle, and robotic members of the RRF (Robot Revolutionary Front). I found the dialogue by these supporting characters to be much better written than the dialogue that is used within the mainline story, which is somewhat perplexing.

Though the film has it's share of fundamental problems; the Astro Boy is ultimately enjoyable. Thanks to gorgeous visuals and fun supporting characters.