Robots
Robots is a junkyard joy, a dazzling, gee whiz computer animated tale from the director of Ice Age. Set in a presumably futuristic world inhabited by robots of every shape, size and mechanical appendage, Robots is packed full of satisfying visuals and intricately designed riffs. Even if the film lacks heart like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, it does take us on a magical journey filled with amazing sights and gags.
Computer animated films keep pushing boundaries, exploring brave new worlds in ways that would have been impossible ten years ago. While computer generated landscapes in live action films leave something to be desired, the make believe worlds of animated films become real to us. Perhaps the fact they’re a complete environment makes the suspension of disbelief possible.
Director Chris Wedge (Ice Age) and co-director Carlos Saldanha explore every possibility of this sweet and frequently hilarious homage to The Wizard of Oz, which finds young robot Rodney Copperbottom (voice of Ewan McGregor) living in Rivet City, but desiring one day to visit Robot City. There, Copperbottom hopes to convince industrial tycoon Big Weld (Mel Brooks) to buy his inventions and free his father from the drudgery of being a dishwasher, literally.
In one of those we= re not in Kansas anymore moments, Copperbottom arrives in Robot City, where he immediately attracts the attention of Fender (Robin Williams), an improvisational chatterbox who agrees to help Copperbottom find Big Weld. Anyone off to see the wizard needs an entourage, and that= s what Copperbottom and Fender collect as they make their way through the big city (and on the awesome Mouse Trap-Rube Goldberg inspired public transportation system).
The attention is in the detail, and what detail. A lot of love, sweat and tears has gone into processing these characters and landscapes, and they are truly marvelous creations. The color pallette, the shiny metal surfaces, the slapstick comedy that could only come from the minds of writers totally in love with the idea. Writers David Lindsay-Abaire, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel layer Robots with both sophisticated wit and juvenile humor, giving audiences of all ages something to appreciate.
The most fascinating aspect of Robots is how the filmmakers managed to create a world of robots that not only seems acceptable, but accessible. These aren=St nut and bolt characters, they have vivid personalities and styles. We accept them for who they are, and on some occasions, for what they can do. The lack of human characters only enhances the make believe world everyone worked so hard to generate.
Half the battle of creating an animated film is finding the perfect voice talent, and the filmmakers have struck gold (copper plating?) with their eclectic ensemble that includes Greg Kinnear as Weld= s conspiring second in command, Halle Berry as a beautiful turncoat, Jim Broadbent as Madame Gasket, taking his cue from Dame Edna. Except for the manic Williams, these aren=t star turns but sincere performances.
Then there= s Williams, who like the Blue Genie in Aladdin, literally steals the show. Fender is a madcap creation who gets involved in some of the film= s wackiest situations, and we= re right there front and center wondering what he= s going to do next. While everyone will enjoy the Romper Room romp, adults will especially appreciate the clever jokes that like the robots, are pieced together from other sources.
The Wizard of Awes
Robots tinker with nut and bolts of animation
ROBOTS
Voices of Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Halle Berry, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey. Directed by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha, Rated PG. 91 Minutes.
$9.00
