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
Superb.... I bought this for my niece and she watches it everyday. I believe there is a small wonderful message in this video that could benefit all children and maybe even a few adults !!
Entertaining, quality movie This movie was a big hit for my 3 and 5 year old boys. I was initially concerned the theme of the movie might be too advanced or portions of the movie too scary, but both seemed to understand and enjoy it. This movie can be enjoyed by young and old alike, at different levels. The animation quality is very good as well.
It's a good one I saw this film in Shreveport Lousiana in a Holiday Inn right about 2000 or 2001? I immediately wondered where a film of this quality came from and finally found it on DVD a few years later. It's a good one and I would have flipped over this movie if it had come out when I was a boy.
The Iron Giant It has pretty much been covered by other reviewers. A boy finds a robot that has crash landed and lost his memory and befriends him. Mother worries about everything, government is looking for the crashed meteor and hot on the trail of the robot which must be a Commie invention sent to blast Americans into oblivion. Now what makes this animated story stand out is the animation, music, and soul of the story. One of the best animated movies I have seen and so at this price I can't pass adding it to my DVD library any longer. BTW, in the event you can't find it here, check DeepDicount.com too. Great quality DVD with plenty of replayability. If you enjoyed this, catch "Robots" and "The Robinsons". - C. Luster
One of the greatest animated stories After spending a month watching Studio Ghibli films I had to write a review on one of the most overlooked animated movies. 'The Iron Giant' is a story of a young boy named Hogarth growing up during the Cold War who comes acorss a giant robot. Like most young boys when they come across a giant robot is to make friends with it. Now he has to keep him hidden from a worrysome mother and paranoid government agent. This is one of the most heartfelt movies I have ever seen and it's not even a Disney movie. The characters are so well made and voices chosen really allow them to connect with the viewers. I loved how the movie really depicted the time of the innocent 1950's with all the pop culture references as well. Still the bond between Hogarth and the Iron Giant is heartwarming and real you will want to watch this movie again and again.
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