There were a lot of surprisingly disturbing themes in this movie which belie Astro-Boy's cheerful, can-do attitude, which seems to be a younger version of his father's belief in corporate/government funded technological progress. While a boy ignored by his busy, egocentric father (voiced by Nicholas Cage, who I can't take seriously anymore) is hardly unique in film, the fact that this broken relationship leads to his death by vaporization when he disobeys him is shocking. Perhaps even more shocking is the father's attempt to "upload" his son's memories into a specially fashioned robot; that much is like Pinocchio with contemporary themes. But most shocking was the father's fast rejection of this son/robot when he correctly notes that he is not the same as his son.
These themes are worthy of reflection, but get swept under the rug by the more prosaic (even if futuristic) story of clashing humans and robots. The animation is interesting, from a (now defunct) studio which we hadn't encountered before; and now I have an interest in watching the 1960s Japanese animae, which is apparently very different from the movie.
These themes are worthy of reflection, but get swept under the rug by the more prosaic (even if futuristic) story of clashing humans and robots. The animation is interesting, from a (now defunct) studio which we hadn't encountered before; and now I have an interest in watching the 1960s Japanese animae, which is apparently very different from the movie.