Customer Reviews

Astro Boy

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Astroboy is an interesting movie. I went and saw this movie a few days after it released in theatres. I kinda remember the cartoon as a kid and this helped to relive those memories. Astroboy is a robot that has superpowers and uses them to save people and the world.

Astroboy is a character that dates back to the 1950's when it was created by Osamu Tezuka. Astro is really well known in Japan and there were several of the cartoon series came here to the United States.

The movie follows the story pretty well but at the same time adds a few new things here and there to not just be a copy and paste kind of story.


There are some spoilers ahead:.......





In the manga (or comic) and now Movie is a boy named Toby who dies in an accident and his father Dr. Tenma builds a robot to be just like Toby. The scene may scare some children that are really young but personally they did it tastefully and there are no gory scenes or anything. (For the parents you see a bright flash and his hat is lying on the ground). Alot of parents were upset by this however many movies made by Disney and so forth have had characters die in their movies constantly but people still praise them.

I suppose since it is a young boy they feel that it should not occur but the producers of the film wanted to keep the orgin of Astro as close as possible.



The movie was pretty well done. There's some drama in along with action and that was pretty good. It helped lead into the action sequences instead of being non-stop action or drama. I liked this film since it was something everyone could enjoy. I went with my mom, dad, and 7 year old niece. She really enjoyed it and the whole family wants it on DVD and blu-ray. I do not remember any bad language as well.
I feel that if people gave Astroboy a chance they will enjoy it. We've watched many kids films like Kung Fu Panda, Monsters Vs Aliens, and so on recently and this was one we all could watch no problem.


The movie looks great but in this day and age it is hard to compete with kids films since many come along on a constant basis. I really enjoy the Pixar films like the Incredibles, Toy Story, etc and I put Astroboy on par with them. I feel that this movie was definitely better than some of the recent kid films.


I also would encourage people if they are interested to check out the cartoons. They are actually pretty good. I bought them since I barely remember them as a kid and I am glad I did. The 80's set is really good. It covers some serious topics while still having that cute appeal for kids. They are on amazon and really inexpensive as well.

I'll attempt to break it down for people.

Pros: 1.Based on a popular character in Japan
2. Something both adults and children can enjoy
3. No bad language and little potty humor (if any)
4. Pretty good voice actors as well.

Cons: 1. Fans of the old cartoons may not like the new look

Hope everyone has a great day!

While owing much to the themes presented in films like "WALL-E," "Pinocchio," and "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" (the last two essentially being the same thing), "Astro Boy" is nonetheless an exhilarating, mature, emotional, and visually splendid animated film, successfully relying on a basic plot with heroes, villains, and morals. Its target audience is children, although I suspect they won't get much out of the social and political subtexts - save, maybe, for the idea that everyone should be treated equally even if some of them aren't human. They will, however, respond to the film's look, especially during the action scenes. They may also enjoy a few select moments of comedy relief, such as when the title character realizes that he has machine guns built into his rear end.

Adapted from the Japanese manga series created by Osamu Tezuka, "Astro Boy" begins with a pleasant-sounding public service announcement (provided by Charlize Theron) for Metro City, a floating futuristic metropolis where robots do all the menial things people no longer want to do. Far below them, Earth has become a wasteland of discarded robot parts, some of which are still quite usable. Living contentedly in Metro City is Toby Tenma (voiced by Freddie Highmore), a teenage genius who understands advanced physics and can rewire robots in a snap. His father, the equally brilliant Dr. Tenma (voiced by Nicholas Cage), has discovered two powerful sources of energy, one a blue core that thrives on good energy, the other a red core that thrives on evil energy. (The political implications of this are none too subtle, but it's probably best to not get into that.)

When Toby is vaporized in a demonstration gone wrong, Dr. Tenma takes it upon himself build a super advanced robotic replica, made possible thanks to a single strand of hair, a databank of Toby's memories, and the blue core of positive energy. When the new Toby activates, he discovers that his feet are equipped with rocket boosters, which enables him to fly majestically through over, around, and below Metro City. He also faces both the rejection of Dr. Tenma, who can't get past the fact that the real Toby is dead, and the wrath of President Stone (voiced by Donald Sutherland), a power hungry warmonger whose chances of being reelected depend on the blue core implanted in Toby's chest.

Both factors bring Toby to the Earth's surface, where he meets a group of lost children led by the duplicitous Hamegg (voiced by Nathan Lane), a character not at all unlike Fagin from "Oliver Twist." On Earth, it seems, robots are enslaved and forced to participate in brutal death matches. And much like the Flesh Fair audience in "A.I.," no one really cares what happens to the robots because they're not actual people and only programmed to exhibit emotions. This, of course, is true, yet we're meant to see Toby in the same light as little David, or more fittingly, Pinocchio - a miraculously living being in search of his destiny. The thing is, Pinocchio's birth was the result of magic, not technology, so it's much easier to regard him as a sympathetic character. In retrospect, it seems a bit strange that Toby could have relatable thoughts and feelings.

But if there's one thing movies like this are good at, it's making the audience see past such things. In the moment, we're distracted by the innate desire for the good guy to win and the bad guy to lose, and in spite of his mechanical abilities, Toby is obviously the good guy here. Another thing movies like this are good at is making the action scenes spectacular; select moments are as visually creative as a well-made summer blockbuster, with high-flying camera angles, intense stunts, and stunning special effects, all of which are exciting yet not so loud or fast paced that they become assaulting. I especially enjoyed a shot of Toby digging his way underground with lightning-quick movements of his arms. In order to see, his eyes essentially become flashlights.

The general look of the film is extraordinary. Metro City in particular reminded me of the magnificent City of Tomorrow settings seen on the covers of old time pulp magazines. The characters look more or less like drawings from a manga graphic novel, especially the title character, whose expressive eyes and distinctive two spikes of hair are wonderfully cartoonish.

It just becomes a matter of story, which in this case isn't bad but also isn't particularly original. I was, however, taken by certain individual scenes, such as when Toby and his new friend, Cora (Kristen Bell), look up at the stars while straining to have an honest conversation. I also greatly enjoyed appearances by a trio of robots who operate a kind of radical civil rights organization, one that reminded me, strangely enough, of the Judean People's Front from "Monty Python's Life of Brian." And while the more emotional moments between Toby and Dr. Tenma are hardly groundbreaking, they're also undeniably touching. "Astro Boy" is by no means an unaccomplished film, but given the complexity typically exhibited in robot stories, I guess I expected it to accomplish even more.

What a fun, cool, movie! Astro Boy was one awesome ride! It has action, a wonderful voice cast and the animation is beautiful! (Sometimes some of us need a break from 3D) Now I'm a HUGE anime fan so I was really looking forward to seeing this movie and I loved every second. And I really believe, Astro Boy could be a movie for a lot of children to like maybe not little ones. But for kids who love superheroes Astro Boy IMO is perfect! My family loved it! And on Blue Ray it's amazing just too look at! Astro Boy is truly one of my favorite movies that I have seen in a LONG time! =)

I was not exposed to astro boy comics, so i saw the movie completely unbiased (if anything i was reluctant to watch it owing to bad ratings).

anyway, I was blown away by the story and the awesome quality of the movie.

its sad that this movie didn't succeed even though its exceeds in all respects other crap movies like "Monster vs Aliens" and "Cloudy iuth chance of meat balls", which are unoriginal and uncreative and utterly boring.

I dare say this movie even beats Incredibles and is on par with many pixar movies.

It goes to show how fortunes can be turned around by propaganda

Astro Boy got skewered by critics and did terribly at the box-office, but it really wasn't as bad as the reviewers or IMDB's low rating suggest. Of all the Japanese to US adaptations to come along in the last 10 years or so, this is certainly not the worst. Godzilla, Speed Racer [Blu-ray], and the abysmal Dragonball: Evolution come to mind (please don't ever watch that last one!). Astro Boy does a fairly good job of bringing Osamu Tezuka's iconic creation -- now almost 60 years old -- into the 21st Century and putting it in front of a new generation of fans. Die-hard fans will surely bristle at some of the changes, but certain liberties were taken for this American production, such as slightly altering Astro's face and modifying some of the names (Professor Ochanomizu becomes Elefun), but the look of the main characters are more or less faithful. The producers also gave Toby/Astro clothes because going topless nowadays in a film would just be weird for modern audiences.

Storywise, the plot is very average and well-trodden, but it's aimed at kids, who may not care much about originality. A predictably ego-maniacal politician, President Stone, seizes a new scientific discovery (meteor power core) to power a military robot called "The Peacekeeper" in order to bolster his popularity for an upcoming election. Things go wrong, as they inevitably do with the ill-conceived plans of villains, then Astro (Mighty Atom in the original Japanese) comes to save the day. In the middle is a stretch of plot about Toby becoming an outcast and leaving the floating metropolis Metro City to discover his destiny amidst the rubbish, castaways, and orphaned kids of the surface world. Astro Boy is partly Pinocchio, partly A.I. - Artificial Intelligence, partly Wall-E, and partly pure sci-fi summer blockbuster action. The voice cast turns in a decent performance, with the exception of Donald Sutherland as Stone, who is leaden and monotone.

If you're willing to let yourself go and take in the gorgeous CGI and beautifully rendered artwork, you might enjoy this animation. Visually, the film looks amazing, and you should really see it in hi-def instead of DVD. Produced by a HK-based animation studio, the sets are lavishly-detailed and the film just looks stunning. Overall, not a bad film and certainly enjoyable by kids and adults alike.

The movie "Astro Boy" is a delight to the eye, mind and heart. The production design is especially enjoyable; from the futuristic Art Deco architecture of the floating Metro City to the open, expressive innocence of Astro's face, the film gives the viewer a pleasing visual palette unsurpassed even by Pixar. The action sequences are top-notch and inspire excitement and exhilaration, especially when Astro takes his first flight into open sky. The voice actors were well-chosen and give moving performances: in particular, Nick Cage as the grieving, conflicted Dr. Tenma and Freddie Highmore as the courageous, put-upon misfit Astro are standouts, while Kristen Bell as Astro's human friend Cora lends the character the perfect balance between tough and tender; as a happy result, Cora's confusion when she discovers her new friend is a robot, and her eventual resolve to love him just the same, are emotional highlights of the film. But "Astro Boy"'s most significant achievement is the movie's ability to wring the hearts of its viewers. Astro inspires our sympathies with his struggles, and our cheers when he finally proves his worth. He is easily the successor to another wronged cinematic hero, Simba of The Lion King. Suffice it to say, this film deserved far more attention and praise than it got; it's easily one of the best animated films of 2009. I've seen it at the theater several times; seen, over and over, the delighted reaction to the film from children and their parents; and I would willingly see it again. And I can't wait to buy it on DVD.

This is a movie that's sure to please both kids and parents alike. The story is engaging, it has plenty of lessons to teach youngsters, the art is great (on-par with the quality of Pixar films).

In a cinematic world of direct to video cheap SciFi, god awful horror remakes, or mindless schlock winning this year's Oscar, it's nice to see that something like Astro Boy gets made. Once in a blue moon a picture will be released and because of lousy promotion its out of the theater before you know it. After having bought the DVD, I could not believe how good this movie really is. Even though this movie is 3D animated and aimed at kids, it has a maturity all its own to appeal to adults. Don't get me wrong, it extremely tame possessing only very mild violence and no offensive language.
The story is simple. A professor's son dies and he makes a robot boy to replace him. Because the professor wanted to recreate his own son, Astro is eventually rejected by him due to the fact that he really isn't his son. That's when the story takes off and we follow along with Astro Boy's adventures. It ends with a confrontation with a big evil robot controlled by an overly ambitious politician after Astro Boy's technology. Certainly, the story is predictable in nature, but its pacing, characters, and light hearted sentiments make an interesting enjoyable journey.
These days 3D rendered movies are standard kids fare. In this case, the subjects of the film are transcended into a techno fairytale that is beautiful to watch. Originally, Astro Boy was an animation adapted from Japanese Comics that came over with the likes of Kimba, Speed Racer, and Gigantor. Maybe its poor peformance in the theater had something to do with that connection to Speed Racer that was adapted to one of the worst movies made this century. Astro Boy is not anything like the Speed Racer movie and is like a shiney silver dollar that you never knew you had. Check out this wonderful gem of a picture!!

Astro Boy is a young robot from futuristic Metro City. Created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma and powered by pure positive "blue" energy that gives him such abilities as x-ray vision, inhuman speed, and flight, the wide-eyed android longs to find his true place in the world. He sets out on an epic journey that brings him face to face with an underworld army of robots and some of the strangest creatures ever to walk the Earth, and along the way learns to experience human feelings and emotions. "Astro Boy" is well produced and is very entertaining. There was plenty of comedy to keep the movie light and lots of action to keep things moving. There are many endearing characters in this movie and interesting villains also. All in all, well and cleverly done. I recommend this to anyone who wants some light-hearted entertainment.

When the movie was first released in theaters, I didn't bother to go to it until I realized there were only a couple of showings left and it would probably be gone in a week or two. Sure enough, 10 days later it was gone, but in that time I ended up seeing it 4 times.

I loved this movie! It has the same animation quality as The Incredibles, and while I love anime, I never watched the Astro Boy cartoon, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story. It's simply the journey of a super boy trying to find his place in the world. Not really original, like one other review said, but as children's movie or an anime fan, it was perfect. Astro Boy was just an endearing character for me.

I liked the English voice acting a lot, nothing wrong with the dialogue. There were a couple of minor parts that didn't quite make sense to me afterward, but they were small things that didn't affect the plot at all. I also wished they explained some things about the other characters at the end of the movie, but again, they were minor enough that it didn't ruin it for me.

I definitely look forward to getting this on blu-ray, glad they finally set a date for it.