One of my favourite films - animated or otherwise

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2005)

Like most reviewers here, I stumbled across The Iron Giant. Frankly, I don't know how I missed it in the theatres, but I picked up a used VHS copy a few years back and fell for it. I recently purchased the DVD version and have rekindled my appreciation for this lovely film.
In addition to being a polished gem of a morality play, it is well animated, and well voice-acted. Perhaps Hogarth is portrayed as too obvious a scamp and Kent is too over-the-top in his zeal but the subtlety in the Iron Giant's limited movements and "vocabulary" more than make up for it. In any case, this is an animated film - we should expect "cartoonish" characters, right? Perhaps it was the total lack of cutesy animals doing Disneyesque song-and-dance numbers, but I found myself noticing the "acting" of these characters. Don't worry, I snapped out of it soon enough...
Unlike some, I didn't see TIG as a slam against militarism. In fact, the General here (nicely voiced by John Mahoney) shows a considerable amount of balance. Rather, the film is about personal growth and change, respect for life, values, and the bond of friendship. This side of the film works so well that the Giant's utterance of one word - "Superman" - toward the end of the film sent me searching for the tissues. (word of advice: keep them handy).
Do yourself and your kids and watch this film. Appropriate (IMO) for ages 3 and over (including adults!).