A tweenage boy named Toby shows a futuristic world the potential of any good heart while defending others from the negative energy of a "bad" one in "Astro Boy", a film based upon an anime(Japanese) cartoon(and manga) which closely resembles Disney's "Pinocchio" and is the spark that led to such series as Mega Man(Rock) and Cutey Honey. It's not until the boy becomes...or rather, is replaced by...a robot that his father and many others come to rethink their views on life and the ways of the modern world. By being who he is(not just what he is), Toby(Astro) touches many hearts and opens eyes to new ideas. It's a story about heart(amid an ever advancing technological world bent on its own destruction) and finding your place in life.
The film, however, is a much lighter and more comical piece than the old cartoon. Though I have not actually seen an episode, I know enough about anime to know that it is likely a much darker and more serious story than any Pinocchio. I have seen plenty of Japanese cartoons that feature grim, gruesome and terrifying concepts which would blow many American kids' minds. [This film is no different than Disney turning an otherwise scary fairy tale meant to discipline children into a "happily ever after". I just wasn't around when this anime aired and didn't care to seek it out when, seeing the artistic style, I didn't know if I would be disturbed or bored.] Some fans of the original work might say the film masks or ignores the impact of such heavy material, but I was just as terrified to see a kid turned into a donkey in "Pinocchio" as anyone might be to see a little boy vaporized before being replaced by a robot. [Yet, I could hear the little ones in the theater turning to ask their parents, "What happened to Toby?...Where did Toby go?"]
The filmmakers cut out and softened the heavy parts, replacing them with comedic relief. Despite the discord of those same fans, this was a great asset! I(and a few other adults present) highly enjoyed every joke and running gag as if this was in fact a comedy. But, I sympathize with those who wanted to see the seriously dramatic and epic story come to life on the big screen. The faces may be a little different, but the characters I have seen in pictures are still there. And, the lessons presented(like sacrifice and the values of humanity and identity) are rather powerful(though depicted in a subdued fashion which may require a little deeper thinking to grasp). That is the mark of a good film. [Aside from Nicholas Cage(among a cast of other famous voices) playing Toby's father and a few moments that could have been better developed instead of just rushing through/washing over them. I had the feeling the filmmakers were trying to squeeze years of work into 90 minutes of film. And, it was so taxing that they had to cut everything down to fragments just to tell the whole story. Nonetheless, though I feel a bit short-changed, I enjoyed the film enough to deem it more than self-worthy.]
If you know the story of Pinocchio, the plot is similar. A boy who is ignored by his prominent father dies in a tragic demonstration of robotics where the darker of two energy sources is installed in a weapon for the military of the "more advanced" part of the world which floats above the landfill that represents the rest. His father, distraught and lost for words, decides to replace his son with a robot powered with the "good" source of energy(a blue spark not unlike the Blue Fairy that gives Pinocchio life). The father believes this robot will be the perfect son replacement. But, his perfection quickly fades into hatred of everything he has created when his mind can't accept robots as replacements for life. Meanwhile, as with any story of good versus evil, the military is busy seeking to wage war on the "lesser" part of the world. And, seeing Toby discover his own super-weapon potential(which may be confusing, considering he is supposed to be a peaceful robot), they decide to use the robot Toby's power source to do the job. [Just imagine the army of your country hunting down the Energizer bunny's batteries to power their killing machine.] This effort leads to Toby being cast out into the "lesser" world where his eyes are opened to new concepts like a robot graveyard, a robot revolution and human orphans being supported by a "battle bots ring leader". One of the orphans, Cora, turns out to be a good friend(and potential love interest) who shares a little common ground with Toby. Through "simple" good gestures, Toby(Astro) opens the eyes of the "lesser" world to "higher" aspirations as he sorts out his place in life. And, when sinister forces including the military become a threat to everything he holds dear, he finds the fighter in him and puts them in their place. In the end, good wins the battle and lives to fight the ongoing war against "evil" while reuniting with family.
While I smile thinking of the little boy who ran out of the theater thinking he was the star character, I will give "Astro Boy"(rated PG at approximately 90 minutes long) 3.75 stars out of 5(2.75 out of 4). It's not the most intelligent(but not stupid) computer animated movie. [It's no Pixar.] It's not the dynamic, dramatic epic that it could be. It's a bit brief and naive. But, it is still a highly enjoyable and promotes positive influences rather than market negative ones for the sake of toys and wasteful spending. I came away with more inspiration than any desire to buy a new toy. I am hoping the same goes for children watching this, as well. [Although, I still am concerned about whether or not kids will fully grasp the depth of the story and not just look at it like another "wham-bam" hero cartoon.] For those, like me, who have no previous knowledge of the material other than maybe pictures and notes to go by, this is a good, funny movie with heart. Anyone who has ever imagined futuristic cities and robots living among people will enjoy this film.
--brainstormer, free-lance movie critic
[I was made ready. Upward and onward!]
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