Two years ago, 20th Century Fox entered the crowded
animation category with Ice Age. Compared with the blockbusters that DreamWorks and Pixar
were turning out, it was an underwhelming effort. I expected the same with
the studio’s latest animated release, Robots. Surprisingly, Robots proves every bit as imaginative as anything Pixar or
DreamWorks has done. Though it doesn’t break any new ground
technically, Robots is entertaining, featuring spectacular effects that’ll
wow the kids and a script that’s smart enough to keep adults
interested.
Veteran screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel
give a familiar premise — country boy goes to the city to make it big
— a fresh spin. The hayseed in question is a mechanical man brimming
with fresh ideas and inventions. Rodney Copperbottom (voiced by Ewan
McGregor) leaves the dust of Rivet Town behind and heads to Robot City in
the hope of working for his idol, the inventor Big Weld (Mel Brooks). This
benevolent industrialist not only has revolutionized the way robots live
but also encourages them to live by his motto, “You can shine no
matter what you’re made of.” Unfortunately, Big Weld has been
pushed aside by corporate raider Phineas T. Ratchet (Greg Kinnear), who
plans to make the citizens of Robot City obsolete by refusing to make spare
parts and specializing in expensive upgrades that only the elite can
afford. This is bad news for the poverty-stricken Fender Pinwheeler (Robin
Williams), sister Piper (Amanda Bynes), and their buddies Crank Casey (Drew
Carrey), Aunt Fanny (Jennifer Coolidge), and thousands of others like them.
Robots contains more
than its share of dazzling sights (Robot City’s Rube
Goldberg-inspired transit system and a fantastic domino-tumbling scene in
Big Weld’s mansion are particularly memorable). But the film’s
willingness to take on social issues — the struggle between the haves
and have-nots, between individuality and conformity — makes the film
special.
When Rodney takes on the role of savior (he has the
know-how to fix the robots before they’re relegated to the scrap
heap) and leader of a robot revolution, it’s is a powerful turn of
events that’s more than just a plot point in an animated movie but a
rallying cry for anyone who’s suffered the injustice of being
marginalized. The message may not register immediately with youngsters, but
it will, in time.
Also in theaters this week. . .
Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids [R] Documentary about the children of prostitutes of
Sonagchi, Calcutta. Parkway Pointe
Bride & Prejudice [PG-13]
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice gets Bollywood treatment. Parkway
Pointe
Hostage [R] A botched
convenience story robbery forces suburban police chief Jeff Talley (Bruce
Willis) to rely on his hostage-negotiator skills. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
The Jacket [R] A Gulf
War veteran (Adrian Brody) is convinced he’s traveling through time
in search of his fated lover. ShowPlace West
This article appears in Mar 10-16, 2005.
