Here's a movie--a sharp, sugar-rush of fun that's guaranteed to entertain the entire family. With some terrific computer-generated effects, a great cast and a fun-packed storyline, Robots is the best animated film   since The Incredibles. Yep, it really is that good. Set in a world populated by robots, Ewan McGregor plays Rodney Copperbottom, a young robot who leaves his small-town home to pursue his dream of becoming an inventor. But after arriving in Robot City, his hopes of getting a job at Bigweld Industries are destroyed when he learns the firm has been taken over by the evil Ratchet (Greg Kinnear). Egged on by his controlling mum, Madame Gasket (Jim Broadbent), Ratchet plans to reduce half of Robot City's citizens to scrap metal by refusing to sell the spare parts they need to survive. Instead, he wants to make a fortune selling expensive upgrades that few can afford. As he says, "Why be you when you can be new?" Aided by a few misfit robots known as the Rustles--including Robin Williams as the cowardly'  Fender ("I'm made of a metal called Afraidium")--Rodney must track down the firm's founder, Bigweld (Mel Brooks), and convince him to save the city from Ratchet's plans. The first thing that'll strike you about the movie is the thought that's gone into creating Robot City. It's a wondrous world full of mechanical marvels including wind-up cars and walking streetlamps. Also terrific are the special effects. This might be an animated movie but at times you'll catch yourself thinking it's really a live-action film. Of course, there have been plenty of animated movies that looked the part but were let down by a weak storyline (see Shark Tale, for example). But Robots grips   right from the start thanks to a heart-warming and thoroughly engaging plot that never bores. My only complaints are with Williams who, as usual,has a one-in-10 success rate with his jokes. Also a letdown is a romantic subplot between Rodney and a shapely robot called Cappy (Halle Berry) that doesn't go anywhere. Complains aside, this is a mechanical marvel that'll have you bolted firmly to your seat. BEST QUOTE : Fender: "Even though you had a discouraging day, just remember there's another one coming tomorrow." BEST BIT: Check out those amazing images. WORST BIT: Robin Williams, character does an unfunny Britney Spears dance routine. IF YOU LIKED...Ice Age, The Incredibles, Toy Story... YOU'LL LIKE THIS. What is Shark Tale an example of?
A great cast. A poor plot. Special effects. Clumsy animation.