Film View #4 – The Iron Giant

It´s sad that there are films The Iron Giant that are so very underrated but luckily it seems to be getting the recognition it diserves with each passing year. It´s the first animated feature from the brainchild of Brad Bird, the man that brought us The Incredibles and newly released Ratatouille, both animated films that have been huge in the CG animation film making and are regarded to be close to perfect. The Iron Giant not far from being a perfect film, it has all that an animation film needs: A great solid scipt and story, characters that you connect emotionally with, a satisfying ending, great voice cast, no songs or dances, splendid animation and it is as much for adults as children.

The story of The Iron Giant starts when the Giant crashes on earth near a small american town in the late 50´s. The Iron Giant starts connecting with a boy, Hogarth Huges that has been raised solely by his mother. When words starts to spread around the military get´s involved and might trigger something dangerous in the giants behaviour.

It´s far from being an unwatchable film, it´s entertaining for all ages… All Ages! That is a goal that few animated films can accomplish, the whole movie feels natural and it never feels tacked on or forced at any part during the viewing. There are no moments where you might role your eyes out of an expression of sighing. It seems unfair that recent failed animated films get more recognition than this almost-forgotten classic, The Iron Giant stands the short test of time and is likely to keep doing so i the future. It is one of the 20 greatest(if not ten) animated films of all time. If you have not seen this Brad Bird production, don´t think twice about it! go rent it and buy it if you like it as much as all the other animation buffs out there.

*****

Film View #3 – The Plague Dogs

Who could have thought there were children animations that can easilly horrify and haunt adults. Whatership Down is a previous animated featurette from Martin Rosen that was animated a little more family friendly, though not very famliy friendly whatership down is somewhat more apealing to the kids than plague dogs. That is not to say that plague dogs is bad, it´s far from being bad. It´s an underated film that probably got shunned for the reason that it seems trojan horsed adult animation for kids but it is way too dark for kids and is very depressing and grim the adults.

The story tells of two dogs that get their chance to escape from the science lab that they are being tested at. The dog, Rowf, has been tested repeatedly how long he can continue to swim when he is thrown in a water tank and half drowns every single time. The other dog, Snitter, has been recently been through some sort of a brain surgery that does not leave him in good mental condition. When they escape they soon realize that the world that snitter remembered is way more cruel than he remembered and they face the fact that they must become wild animals to survive in the wilderness.

The characters are very sympathetic and you do root for them all the way no matter what they´re actions are to survive. The voice actors are good but the sound mixing makes the talent somewhat suffer. The animation is dark yet generic in a small dose here and there, it fits the story wich everyone might not find fascinating and sick(it´s supose to make you feel for these dogs) or depressing(wich it is) and look past the whole point. The ending can leave you thinking both ways but i do not want to be one of those who thinks it´s a good ending when it all leads to what really happens.

This film should mainly be viewed by the people who can handle being depressed for an hour after viewing or for those who want the same tone as Whatership down except a darker, more disturbing atmopshere and story. It´s not a family film or for those who want something entirely generic.

“103 minute version” : ****