The power to engross EVERYONE

Rating: Null/10 (25 November 1999)

I recently saw The Iron Giant on video, and as usual with most "kid-targeted" movies, I was half-expecting it to be an embarassment. Well, everyone should be pleased to know that this movie is not targeted at any specific age group! The best film-makers know that great animated movies should appeal to everyone; just adding on the word "animated" does not automatically equate to a movie for kids only. The strongest asset of The Iron Giant lies in the writing. EVERY character is nothing short of believable and realistic, and there are several fairly strong including "guns kill" and "souls can't die." This may sound trite when taken out of context and put on paper, but the delivery of these in the actual film is anything but. How often do we get animated features like this, that depart form the traditional formula and deliver truly positive messages, all without turning preachy?
In addition to the dramatic elements, there's a good share of successful comedy. The whole "superman" element is amusing, and several other parts (including the bit where the Giant decides to emulate Hogarth's cannonball dive into a lake) are worth laughing out loud for. Also, in what is a VERY wise decision, there are no musical numbers and no obligatory comic-relief characters. Inserting either would hurt The Iron Giant's overall flow greatly, as the script and voice acting are intelligent enough to deliver the entertainment on their own. Finally, just to compliment things, the visuals are really cool. I clearly noticed changes in style throughout; the backgrounds, foreground objects, and characters all have their own distinct look and feel, making the environment suitably lush. The bottom line? Well, I would reccomend THE IRON GIANT to anyone, regardless of age. Hands down, this is the best animated film I've ever seen thus far. RATING: **** (out of ****) NOTE THAT I WILL USE A STAR BASED SCALE FROM NOW ON.