Meet the Robinsons is a nice turn on the classic animation formula. It’s got plenty of laughs for everyone, beautiful imagery, and a good lesson for the kids too. The equation seems very simple when you lay it out like that, but it’s a method that 90 percent of all animations seem to miss the mark on. They either go too kiddy or too preachy, very few are just right (like porridge).
The story here isn’t very simple but I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to include it anyway. Lewis is a genius little orphan boy. He’s an inventing fool, he’s got an orphan roommate, and he’s looking for a family. It’s a pretty standard concept really; orphans tales have been around since that red-headed kid named Annie. The strength of the film really isn’t the plot, any idiot with a pencil can come up with a plot, just check out Happily N’Ever After. That said, the plot is logical, and does work; the only complaint being that kids under the age of seven might have trouble understanding a “time travel” element presented.
I don’t think the voice work really stands out here with one notable exception: Stephen J. Anderson as the Bowler Hat Guy. Crazily, he’s also the director and handles two other voices in the movie as well. Talk about a bargain, this guy’s a one man wrecking crew. His portrayal of the main foil, Bowler Hat, is what makes the movie so strong for adults. He has so many solid one liners that the movie is actually funnier than the adultish comedy released this weekend, Blades of Glory. For a G rated movie that’s a hell of a coup, and it’s reminiscent of that grand old age of animations when they had to deliver for both the kids and adults.
So then, Meet the Robinsons is a bag full o’ fun. It’s got some nice bright colors and a broad storyline for the kids to focus on, all the while not neglecting the the people who are actually footing the bill. Characters are developed, I know, I know, weird, and the whole shebang ends well too. I think the first 15 minutes are the slowest, but that’s pretty forgivable given the other 80’s strength. One other quick knock here, I didn’t see the point of going 3-D and the movie never really exploits it to the full potential. The Robot character, not sure of his name, does the most in the 3-D world with his super-long neck. He comes out of the screen pretty well, but way too much is simply done the other way, creating more depth. Depth doesn’t get you much where three dimensional is concerned; it’s like watching decent HD but having to wear glasses to do so. It could have been skipped.
Verdict: If you’re a parent this is a no-brainer slamma jamma. I’d slot this into one of the three animated Oscar slots right now (without even seeing the rest of the year’s films). If you don’t have kids things are a little tougher, paying money to see a G movie, but I recommend it anyway. I laughed the whole way through. Borrow a nephew if you’ve got to. But don’t ignore a good film, no matter who it’s marketed to.
