A Cinematic Landmark that Stood the Test of Time

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2020)

Back in the late 90s, when most theatrical animation was trying to emulate the success of the Disney renaissance, along came a smaller albeit unique feature from Warner Bros. called The Iron Giant. Despite receiving critical acclaim, it was a box office flop on its original release due to poor marketing. However, thanks to a growing cult following on VHS and DVD, and the film's director Brad Bird creating Pixar powerhouses like The Incredibles and Ratatouille, the film eventually went from an underrated gem to one of the greatest animated features ever made. After over 20 years in its existence, I think it's time to owe back its debt.
Set in 1950s America during the Cold War, the film follows Hogarth Hughes, who discovers and befriends a giant intergalactic metal robot. In response to the U.S. military, Hogarth must fend them off from destroying the Giant. The movie's main plot is a mix of the common young child meets strange creature narrative and the old fear of beings beyond our worlds common in 1950s sci-fi films. What makes the otherwise familiar storyline fascinating though is how it develops the Giant as a legitimate character, from letting its monstrous size tell many scenes themselves and Hogarth mentoring it like a father teaching its son all the advantages in becoming good, as if a machine could actually have a soul. As for the sci-fi aesthetic, the film cleverly plays around with the themes of paranoia from nuclear war common back then with a supernatural twist, since what's beyond their world was too much for them to even comprehend. Of all the films to blend thrilling sci-fi, atomic fear and heartfelt tenderness together, this movie knocks it right out of the ballpark.
As this is a character driven story, almost every figure in the movie plays an important part in some shape or form. With Hogarth being a rebellious albeit responsible kid, he also has the misfortune of his single mother working overtime, which makes his role to the giant as a teacher all the more engaging. In fact, because the Giant is often curious about the new world of Earth, he learns more from the values of friendship and life through Hogarth and the beatnik artist Dean, making their bonds all the more sincere and heartwarming. Speaking of Dean, he's more of a hip outcast to society that makes his own artwork from scrap and junk, yet that all leads to him reluctantly becoming part of the Giant's presence. Then there's the antagonist Kent Mansley, who perfectly represents how the government wanted America to think in the 50s, as he believes anything outside the U.S. and Earth is a threat and must be destroyed for the "good" of humanity. Rarely have animated characters been this relatable and this human before, including a giant metal robot.
Even for a movie that strayed away from the Disney formula in the 90s, the film is animated nearly as well as any product from the Mouse House. Brad Bird is known for his exaggerated and stylistic character designs, and this film is no exception, as every character sticks out based on their physique and personality. The character animation adds in smooth movements, realistic attributes common in human anatomy and bold gestures that sell the performances. However, the film's true highlight has to be the CG work done on the Giant itself, as the crew created it with a cel-shaded approach that helps it blend extraordinarily well with the hand-drawn characters. The lack of overly detailed lighting also helps, since it keeps the contrast of the Giant simple and easy to look at without coming off as distracting. Also, major applause must be given to the cinematography and shot composition, as every color and every single frame conveys what the scene is communicating emotionally, whether it'd be completely visual with no dialogue or an intense thrilling scene with quick cuts and frightening glares.
Needless to say, The Iron Giant stands the test of time thanks to its heartfelt story, themes of acceptance over fear, lovable characters and wonderful animation. If you're yet to check this film out for yourself, then this is a must watch for anyone, not just film and animation buffs. It's not common that a feature communicates the idea that supposedly dangerous weapons could actually have a soul to them, yet this film found a way to do so through humor, pathos and ideologies that are still common today. Remember, even things we might take for granted can have more substance than we give them credit for.