Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
This gentle reworking of Ted Hughes's 1968 novella was the unseen gem of 1999. Hogarth, a young boy who lives in the Maine woods during the cold war, befriends a giant robot. As with E.T., the iron giant is a misunderstood outsider who becomes a child's best friend, and Hogarth does his best to hide the massive figure from his mom (voiced by Jennifer Aniston) and the local scrap-yard beatnik (Harry Connick Jr.). Soon the suspicions of neighbors and a government agent (Christopher McDonald) spell trouble. With no songs, no sidekicks, and no cheap ending, The Iron Giant is a refreshing change-- like an off-Broadway production compared to the glitz of Disney's annual animated extravaganzas. Director Brad Bird may have Family Dog and The Simpsons to his credit, but this film doesn't have that brand of scatological humor. As with the best family entertainments, there are gags that adults will howl at while the kids are watching something else (see Bird's interpretation of cold war propaganda). And the star is one cool piece of animated magic. Voiced by Vin Diesel (Saving Private Ryan's hulking Private Caparzo) and filled with more gadgets than a Swiss army knife, the giant is a grand thing to behold. And like another famous cinema tin man, our hero--and the movie--has heart. Superb entertainment for ages 5 and up. --Doug Thomas Description
A young boy rescues a huge robot which has rocketed to earth from space - and tries to protect the genial giant from a nosey government agent and the military. A captivating animated feature that's part metal, part magic and all heart. |
Customer Reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Wonderful movie with a wonderful message, Aug 18, 2023
There are some Hollywood movies that are so over-done with the advertising and promoting you just want to dig yourself a hole and throw yourself in it. Then when you actually see the film you wonder why there aren't time-machines so you can go back and get the few hours you just wasted on seeing it. Then there are movies like The Iron Giant; movies that slip under the radar and are pure diamonds in the ruff. This is a family movie that can be enjoyed by adults and children.
The plot takes place in the 1950's during the height of the cold war when everyone is paranoid over nuclear attacks.
Hogarth is an imaginative little boy being raised by his single mother. Left home alone while his mother works a late shift at her waitress job, Hogarth ventures off into the woods near his house and discovers and saves the life of the Iron Giant. The Iron Giant crash landed on earth from his war ridden planet. Hogarth develops a friendship with the metal giant but soon realizes he has a dangerous side. The Iron Giant reacts (in a big way) defensively against attacks. So in other words, if he feels threatened, he goes into a sort of auto pilot mode and will attack the threat no matter whom or what that threat is. The giant realizes that it almost attacked his best friend and promises to be like Super man; good and non violent.
Naturally, it becomes rather difficult to conceal this large giant and a nosy government agent becomes suspicious thusly starts investigating the strange happenings that surrounds the giant. I don't want to tell too much about the plot because it's really a movie that you should see yourself. But it has such a beautiful message at the end. The animation is just superbly done. The emotion is captured so well in the characters and I love the 1950's feel.
You will not be disappointed in this movie regardless of your age.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
This is a must have movie for kids, Aug 14, 2023
My 7 year old son and I both LOVE this movie. We first saw it on TV when he was 6 and neither of us could take our eyes off of it, so I had to buy it. It is such a great movie on so many levels. It teaches - friendship, self-sacrifice, the fact that you can "choose who you want to be", and so much more, but it does it without seeming too sappy or predictable. It's got adventure, excitement, love, and even some cool weapons on the robot that don't seem too scary and the robot doesn't even want to use them, he only uses them in defense. I would say that boys will enjoy this movie more than girls, it is about a boy and a robot after all, but girls might like it too. This is a must have for any little boy over 3 or 4, and their moms! Plus, the ending is GREAT, but you must make sure you watch till the very end!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, Aug 14, 2023
This movie is one of the best movies I've ever seen. The kids and I have watched this over and over, and we never get tired of it. It is a great movie for the "whole" family.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Family film that doesn't just play to the kids, Jul 28, 2023
This film, based on a children's novella by the late Ted Hughes, is a beautifully rendered, thoughtfully written, carefully assembled cinematic gem. 'The Iron Giant' evokes the pop-culture bubbly effervescence of the 1950's, along with that era's nuclear paranoia.
Hogarth Hughes is an imaginative pre-teen who apparently constantly finds forest creatures of all manners and brings them home to keep as pets, much to the chagrin of his single mother. He befriends Dean, a beatnik with a big heart, who lives in and runs the local junkyard. One night while home alone, Hogarth investigates the disappearance of his TV signal and finds a giant robot, whose glowing green eyes seem to indicate life inside. Hogarth manages to keep the robot a secret for a while, teaching the creature to mimic human speech and dive into ponds, among other things. Eventually, the odd happenings surrounding the giant prompt a goverm=nment agent to investigate, causing the giant to be outed.
In the end, thanks to some great voice acting by Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., and Vin Diesel (nearly unrecognizable as the giant), along with some very wonderful production design and masterful direction by Brad Bird, this film brings a marvelous message with it. If you see it, I hope you choose to listen.
2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
good, Apr 19, 2023
Well, I saw this movie in the theater, and was surprised to not be disapointed with it. Disney is one of those companies that it really is hard to make a bad movie (at least animation/cartoon).
It is a well-delivered movie with bits and pieces of humor in it, but mainly seriousness. A very 'touching' story. The ending is very powerful and would suggest a sequel, though, to my knowledge, there hasn't been any.
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