The plot of
Astro Boy might sound a little dark for a kid's movie -- it's got death, robots, and implied class warfare -- but somehow, the end result is a rollicking good time. That kind of makes sense when you remember that this film is based on an anime. And in that peculiar way that Japanese animation has cornered the market on mixing seriously grave themes with super-dazzling cuteness,
Astro Boy manages to glide past the implications of its own sometimes grim material and wow you with its wild action sequences alone.
The movie's also got heart -- or at least a glowing blue core of volatile, concentrated energy. But despite what sounds like...
Released:
2009
Rated:
PG
Length:
95 mins