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Robots fits in the not-to-be-missed category, says Ervell E. Menezes
Animation films come in various hues these days, ever since they tried to humanise these animation characters in The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. Still, some of them fail because the emphasis is on special effects rather than the narrative. Robots (not to be confused with I, Robot) is a lively fun film with the accent on music and the final scene with the robots rapping away to glory is ample testimony to this. But too much emphasis should not be put on the voices of the stars, it is more like a gimmick. But in Shark Tale they resembled the faces of Will Smith, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorcese. Otherwise, like in this film, the robot characters stand by themselves. The star names are meant to give them status. Robots is all about following one’s dreams and never, never giving up and director-scriptwriter Chris Wedge has strewn a few good lines to this effect, like "you can shine, no matter what you’re made of…new parts, old parts or spare parts" or "why be you when you can be new." Shades of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull. The message is to change and it is epitomised in young Rodney Copper bottom (Wean McGregor’s voice), an inventor who wants to go to Robot City to make his fortune, or put another way, to make something of his life unlike his dishwasher dad. His mum is against it but his dad supports him fully. And so into the world of action he sets out where initially no one has time for him. First, he cultivates Fender (Robin Williams), a sure loser, whose limbs keep falling at inopportune moments. His mission is to meet Rig Weld (Mel Brooks), a master inventor who seems to have lost his way and his art. These misfits are called Rustiest. So, Rodney’s trip takes him to a plethora of characters, the comely Capps (Halle Berry), the nefarious corporate tyrant Ratchet (Greg Kinear) and Fender’s tomboy sister (Amanda Bines). It is a simple plot and though the fare is anecdotal, director Wedge is able to infuse it with an element of breeziness. The action is fluid, dotted with spontaneous humour and the contrast in characters (the Rustiest have their moments) helps. It is thankfully not heavy with slapstick like in most Hollywood comedies. The music and its tempo keep the viewer going. What’s more, it is just 90 minutes and therefore quite tight. The characters may not be as rounded as in The Lion King or Shark Tale, but they are good enough to keep the narrative ticking, nay, even speeding. There is a cumulative build-up that climaxes in quite a crescendo of song and dance. Rarely has one seen such a joyous sequence of rapping robots as in the finale, which is itself worth the admission rate. Don’t miss it. |
