A film review by Mark O'Hara Copyright © 1999 Mark O'Hara

The latest from Warner Brothers animation, "The Iron Giant," is a simply told fable that resonates with charm and humanity. Based on the book "The Iron Man" by British poet Ted Hughes, the movie takes a new direction from Brad Bird, himself a former animator. Bird's vision gives purpose and completeness to the movie, and the art style and direction strike the viewer with subdued power.

The opening shot shows Sputnik circling the Earth; the camera zeros in on the planet and zooms down into a storm, the title reading "Somewhere off the coast of Maine, 1957." The animation style also hearkens back to decades of cartoons past, especially when the main character Hogarth Hughes (voiced by Eli Marienthal) darts into a diner where his mother Annie (Jennifer Aniston) waitresses. When Hogarth's newly-caught pet squirrel escapes its box, we meet the beatnik-like Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick Jr.). Dean is a starving artist who runs the local scrap yard, using metal to make his outré sculptures. (As in many works of literature featuring a child, Hogarth's father is absent, only a photo visible of him holding a pilot's helmet. Was he lost in Korea or some other conflict involving the Red Menace?)

A lot is made of Cold War politics. One of Hogarth's comic books is actually called "The Red Menace," and government agent Kent Mansley (Christopher MacDonald) exhibits paranoia inspired by the times. What sparks concern around this area of Maine is a report of some sort of giant from outer space. Something is taking bites out of cars and silos and tractors, and this something Hogarth Hughes meets when one night his mother works late and he roams outside. At a power station in the woods he encounters an enormous metal man that snacks on girders. The giant suddenly gets caught in high-tension lines and, trapped, agonizes in apparent pain and alarm. Frightenend, Hogarth first runs and then circles back to shut off the power, a la the mouse pulling the thorn from the lion's paw. Later Hogarth discovers the creation is friendly, and the two form a friendship that Hogarth is careful to keep unknown to his mother and the town.

Because the giant needs metal for nutrition, Hogarth helps by directing him to Dean's scrap yard, and it's inevitable that Dean discovers the awesome visitor. Bird does a wonderful job in portraying the shocked reaction, which elicits laughs from the viewer. But Agent Mansley has rented a room from Mrs. Hughes, and while she is working late one evening, he plays the noxious role of sinister surrogate father. He will get information about this giant at any cost, even is he must threaten taking Hogarth away from his mother. The remainder of the film follows many of the alien fables we have seen already. The innocent and misunderstood outsider is hunted. Fortunately, "The Iron Giant" plays variations on the theme, and the personality of the giant makes us feel much closer to him than to many of the "monsters" we have previously loved.

We witness some wonderfully silly routines, as when the giant imitates a crazy face and wiggly fingers done by Hogarth. The giant is mimetic by nature, and he seems to have amnesia: He does not know why he crashed to Earth. Some of the most captivating moments occur when this gargantuan being is used for extremely human purposes. Dean has him hanging entire wrecked cars from the arms of a mobile, while Hogarth plays with him hilariously, the giant spinning like a space-age merry-go-round. The humanity evinced by the Titan - especially his relationship with Hogarth and later with Dean - is what endears him to us. Further, just his appearance is cool. Fifty feet tall, eyes glowing and rotating, squarish jaw like something out of an old Bugs Bunny, the giant takes over the screen whenever he appears. His voice is supplied by Vin Diesel, and it is somehow enhanced into a raspy sigh. Another feature that acts as remarkable foreshadowing is the ability of his mechanical body to reassemble itself if the giant is injured. Even better is his ability to fly, the fiery thrust coming from the soles of his mammoth feet.

An important dimension the story carries is anti-violence. Because Hogarth is gentle with the giant, and teaches him lessons about life, the giant acts gently. "Souls never die" and "Killing is bad" are among the crucial bits of knowledge the robot picks up. What leads to the climax of the narrative is most fascinating: We see the metal man's eyes narrow down to red and angry apertures when he is threatened, and we wonder what will happen if he does not lapse into his forgetfulness.

The script could do without occasional bad language, including several vulgarisms and uses of God's name. Although there is some violence toward the end, I'd venture that the PG rating would change to a G without these unnecessary epithets. A viewer should not expect animation of the quality of the latest Disney offerings, though the clear lines and retrospective style get the job done with solidness. And the direction compares with that of the best animated movies of recent years.

Our whole family attended the film, and all of us were laughing and moved by turns. I would recommend "The Iron Giant" for any audience, and for what it's worth, I plan to buy the video when it's released.

	Running Time: 86 Min | Rated PG | US Release: August 6th | More >>

Related Links:

• Official Site
• Upcomingmovies.com
• Animation Artist Movie Site
• Movie-Page.com: "The Iron Giant"
• Moviefan Online - TIG Theatrical Preview

It came from outer space!