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 "Robots" Chris' Review: The biggest fault in Robots was that it tried too hard. I can understand... Blue Sky Studios HAS to try hard to catch up to the big guys, Pixar and Dreamworks. In the process, they forget the heart, though. You won't hear anyone complaining about the technological prowess of Robots. It's some of the slickest animation to come out of ANY studio in recent years. The colors are great, the visuals are amazing, the concepts are well thought out and intricately executed the textures are as believable as they come. The style still seems a little herky-jerky to me, as compared to the slickness of The Incredibles, but it's not something that will pull you out of your suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately it seems like all the effort in the film went to writing gags and making pretty pictures. We watch all of this as passive observers instead of concerned commrades. Let's face it, it's always going to be more fun to watch your friends ride a rollercoaster than it is watching a bunch of strangers. Every frame of Robots is chock full of sight gags, puns, and pop-culture references, the story has all the components of film greats like The Wizard of Oz, it even has some serious messages, like the idea of commercialism (the only reason the robots need upgrades is because the billboards tell them that they need them.) or racism (try watching the movie and think about Nazi troops when the street sweepers go by). Still, even with all the depth that it manages, you just can't get into the story because the personalities are all so flat and, frankly, robotic. We're treated to an amazing cast of voices. Halle Berry, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Brooks, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Giamatti, Greg Kinnear, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Robin Williams, with cameos by Paula Abdul, James Earl Jones, Jay Leno, and Al Roker. You have to ask yourself, "Why?" What was the point of having an actor, who is well known for his Scottish accent, voicing in a (admittedly well-acted) American accent? Why all the big names? Why all the outpouring of money? I mean, we all understand why Robin Williams is in it, but even he wasn't neccesary for this story. To me, it's another instance of Blue Sky just trying too hard. Look, your bat is big enough to swing with the big boys, you don't have to put on this show, guys. In the end, although the movie is still a joy to watch, you feel like you were just handed a box full of shiny spare parts rather than a fully matching and assembled "Robot". I give this movie 5 thumbs up. It's one you'll want to watch again and again for all the gags, because you'll feel like you missed half of them (and you probably did!) but you'll also find yourself skipping ahead to your favorite parts, because you just don't care enough about the characters to let them get there on their own.   Jim's Review: BackHome - Info - Reviews - Map - Message Board - Photo Album |
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