About The Iron Giant
Post 1545:
So probably like everyone else I was led to the children’s film The Iron Giant after studying the poetry of some British guy. Turns out, this is his story. His name was Ted Hughes, a former Poet Laureate. I figured the poetry was pretty poetic so I decided to try the movie.
I should say, my taste rarely makes its way into the realm of children’s fiction and I generally can’t be bothered with anything animated, whether it be Disney or Family Guy. I realize that it’s an illogical bias but I thought it worth mentioning.
This is a fantastic story. Every scene is tightly scripted. Every character has a role and informs the greater narrative. The attention to detail is first rate. I love that a Cold War setting isn’t overly bleak, though the stakes are very high and bring attention to a real threat that we live with everyday, though we’re more accustomed to it and numb than people in the 50s and 60s, a familiarity that at some point might prove disastrous.
It’s a simple but profound tale. A little boy desperate for a friend finds a giant scary metal robot and befriends it. The bad guy works for the government, as they often do, and he’s trying to find evidence of the robot so he can destroy it. He’s fueled by a feverish zealotry to wipe out anything that isn’t already understood and American. Sputnik is orbiting amidst this story, just to give you some background.
So the government man is crazy and hostile, but it’s probably representative of many mindsets back in the day. First the Russians send up a tiny satellite the size of a basketball that does very little. Next, they’ll obviously be taking over the world using giant robots and allying with creatures from outer space. It’s all very natural.
In the end the government agent convinces the military to attack the giant, who isn’t violent unless threatened. The boy and a few others have this figured out and ultimately it’s the giant who ends up saving us from destroying ourselves.
Friendship and understanding conquering fear and muddle-brained violence? I’ll take that lesson all day.
Besides having a great moral and being extremely tidy, there are some brilliant little gags and visual jokes. Lots of irony and humor that might go over the heads of young kids but work on enough levels so everyone can have a good time.
I will say that the main character is annoying. His voice is whiny and it sucks. This should make me hate the whole deal. But the story is so good. I was willing to endure and ultimately forget about it so I could go on enjoying all the positives. A seemingly simple plot elevated by paying attention to the details. Never gets old.
I recommend this to all children. Especially the ones that run our countries. Cheers and see you after.
