Plot: What’s it about?
Hogarth Hughes (voiced by Eli Marienthal) is a young man with imagination, so much so that he often lands in trouble. He weaves tall tales that involve monsters, aliens, and other creatures, based mostly on the sci/fi movies he loves. He has trouble making friends and of late, even his own mother Annie (voiced by Jennifer Aniston) is tired of his antics. When she leaves him alone one night while at work, he wanders out of the house and finds himself close to an electrical power station. On the same night, a mysterious object crash landed in the same town and Hogarth is the first one to see the object. A massive metal robot gets tangled up in the power lines and while it suffers, Hogarth tries to lend a hand. His first attempts fail, but he soon reaches the master switch and shuts off the juice, which allows the robot to escape. The metallic giant doesn’t forget his kindness and before he knows what happened, Hogarth has a friend. Of course, no one would believe him and with so much talk about Russian spies and what not, he wouldn’t want to tell them anyway. He tries to keep the robot a secret, but that turns out to be harder than he thinks, since a fifty foot tall robot stands out in his small town. When the military arrives to take down the robot, assuming the giant is a threat, can Hogarth prove his stories of the robot’s kindness?
In recent times, traditional animation has been shelved by most studios, as computer powered animation becomes the standard. Perhaps the last masterpiece of traditional animation was The Iron Giant, a film that used a touch of computer animation, but relied on old school methods to provide most of the visuals. The Iron Giant was an overlooked film in theaters, but found an audience on home video, though the movie is still not well known. This is a shame, as The Iron Giant is pure magic and deserves a wider audience. The film is safe for viewers of all ages, but doesn’t pander to the kids, instead it entertains. The kiddies won’t miss singing animals or wild musical numbers, because they’ll be glued to the screen. The Iron Giant proves that traditional animation still has a place in cinema, but like any other genre, story is vital. The recent Disney flops have bombed due to poor stories, not a surge in computer animation. A movie like The Iron Giant is more than a kid’s movie, it is a film that speaks to people of all ages. No one will be bored with this picture, as we’re sucked into the story right from the start. We get behind the characters and have an emotional stake in what happens, which is why The Iron Giant is so impressive. Warner has given us a new Special Edition to boot, so I am able to recommend this release to anyone with even a sliver of interest, as you will not regret the time you spend with The Iron Giant.
Video: How does it look?
The Iron Giant is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is an all new digital transfer and while the original release looked excellent, this new treatment smooths out a few wrinkles and offers a nice improvement. The image is crisper this time around, so detail is more potent and the visuals have a more polished presence. I was dazzled by the colors in this treatment, as the hues seem to stream across the screen at times, without even a hint of errors. The same holds true with the contrast, which sparkles with stark black levels and very high detail throughout. I simply cannot say enough about how gorgeous this presentation is, as the visuals are stunning at all times. A couple of minor issues surface, but they’re so small, they don’t even faze this superb visual treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
I would have killed for a DTS option on this release, but the included Dolby Digital 5.1 option is impressive in its own right. This might not be the most dynamic material in town, but it has some pep and both tracks sound terrific. The surrounds don’t pulse at all times, because of the dialogue driven nature of the material, but rest assured, all the speakers get put through the paces. The songs have a lot of presence and depth, which makes them more powerful to listen to, while sound effects are more prominent than expected. I didn’t expect a lot of background noise, but this track has superb subtle presence, which adds to the experience. I still wouldn’t call this a power driven soundtrack, but it puts the speakers to good use, to be sure. No problems with dialogue though, as all the vocals sound loud and clear here. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is not the comprehensive Special Edition the film deserves, but a solid assortment of bonus materials has been included. Brad Bird, the film’s director, is joined by several animation team members for an audio commentary track, who don’t hold back in their discussion of the trials and tribulations of the production. The four talk of constant deadlines, budget issues, creative woes, and all other manner of production concerns. A branching option offers thirteen peeks behind the scenes, while three standard featurettes can also be accessed. This disc also includes talent files, still photos, some deleted scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
