The Iron Giant | | Cast : | Harry Connick Jr., Eli Marienthal | | Director : | Brad Bird | | Studio : | Warner Home Video | | Format : | Animated, Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | August 06, 1999 | | DVD Released Date : | November 16, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 31, 2005 | | Summary | may even be more interesting than the book | Content
 | The Iron Giant is a loose adaptation of a wonderful book of the same title, by Ted Hughes (written in the late sixties). In the book the origins of the giant are unknown, and he is initially buried beneath the earth before being attacked and ultimately befriended. The enemy in the book, who becomes a common enemy to both the humans and the giant and the cause of their alliance, was a giant dragon-like creature (as big as Australia!!) who the giant ends up outsmarting.
In the film, set during the Cold War, and presenting a wonderful portrait of the 50s atmosphere, the enemy is US -- and our tendency to fear what is alien, and to shoot first and ask questions later. I think that this is, in the end, more profound. Of course, the original author may have had some such allegory in mind when he wrote the original book, since the dragon from outer space ends up destroying and enveloping in darkness a large part of the planet, almost like a world war. But in that case is their alliance with the giant supposed to mean an alliance with military technology in order to prevent a world war? In the film, the robot is just a cool robot from outer space, that human beings can choose to make a friend or to establish as an enemy.
In any case, this is easily one of the best animated films to come out of the United States in the last decade (and one of the others is by the same director, Brad Bird). |
| Rating | | | Date | August 18, 2005 | | Summary | Wonderful movie with a wonderful message | Content
| 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.
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| Rating | | | Date | August 14, 2005 | | Summary | This is a must have movie for kids | Content
| 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! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 14, 2005 | | Summary | Excellent | Content
| 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. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 28, 2005 | | Summary | Family film that doesn't just play to the kids | Content
| 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. |
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