Sunday, October 25, 2009
A+E, Movies, Reviews

‘Astro Boy’ better than it looks

 

Based on a 1951 manga that’s had several small-screen incarnations, “Astro Boy” gives young viewers some weighty matters to ponder. But it should hold their interest, because its action scenes and heart are in the right place.

Toby (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is the son of Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage), “head of the Ministry of Science and the father of modern robotics.” They live in Metro City, a futuristic island that floats above the remains of the planet Earth, as explained by Charlize Theron in the faux documentary that opens this animated feature.

President Stone (Donald Sutherland), concerned with re-election, plans to attack Earth with a giant robot called, with Orwellian irony, the “Peacekeeper.” Toby is killed when the robot is given negative red energy instead of positive blue energy, and Dr. Tenma makes a substitute boy from Toby’s DNA combined with state-of-the-art robotics. The creation moment is straight out of “Frankenstein.”

With his memories intact, Toby’s surprised to discover he has superpowers, including the ability to fly. Not human enough to satisfy Dr. Tenma’s need for a son, he winds up on the Earth’s surface.

Now known as Astro, Toby has two worlds to save, first by fighting in the Robot Games and then by keeping the peace against the Peacekeeper. There’s also a special girl, Cora (Kristen Bell), but we’re a few sequels away from having to worry about the mechanics of that relationship.

Well-written and well-paced, “Astro Boy” is weakest visually, all shiny and plastic-looking with no texture, like the earliest computer animation. Substance gives “Astro Boy” an edge over most movies aimed at a similar age group. We’ll give it a pass on the style factor. 2.5 STARS—Steve Warren