Unfortunately for Meet the Robinsons, it is by no means a perfect film; in fact, it is a rather flawed one, but its contagious spirit and timely messages often do the heavy lifting and make up for half-developed characters and a predictable story. Yes, against all odds, I enjoy a film that does not feature strong characters. This ensemble is certainly not a terrible one, as was the case in Home on the Range (No! I mentioned its name!), but the characterizations could have definitely been more developed across the board. Lewis is a fine leading man, but it is not until he arrives in the future that his characterization truly takes off, and by that time, it is almost too late to form an emotional investment. The same can be said of the film's villain, the Bowler Hat Guy. His development will be discussed below, but for now, I'll just say that something just seemed to be missing in this character. Each of the Robinsons contain a unique personality and have the potential to steal the show, but they are unfortunately not afforded much screentime. The film could have benefited greatly from an expanded presence of this futuristic family.
Therein lies the one major flaw in Meet the Robinsons. From the characters to the story, it feels like something is missing, but I am not sure what it is because yet again, I find myself thoroughly enjoying it nonetheless. This may be the strangest review I have written thus far in the Summer of Magic because according to my required criteria of excellent characters in a fantastic story, Meet the Robinsons falls short in both categories, but I still like this film! I don't know why, but I do! Maybe it is the film's infectious optimism and positive outlook towards the future which the modern world desperately needs more of nowadays. Maybe it is the fact that the film boasts some extremely impressive animation. Maybe it is because it ends with a Walt Disney quote (such a nice touch, by the way). For the first time all summer, I am at an apparent loss for words.
As I previously stated, the film really takes off when the time travel starts kicking into full gear. When Wilbur first shows Lewis the future, the following sequences are spectacular (especially when Todayland is proudly revealed with Space Mountain in the background). The animators continue to clearly obtain a firmer grip on the new computer animation, and while significant strides are being made to effortlessly balance story and technology, Meet the Robinsons still falls slightly short of Disney's glorious standards. However, the film does feature some genuinely emotional scenes that really connect with the audience. Disney's signature charm comes to the forefront whenever Lewis finally finds that elusive family he has always longed for, and when he decides to abandon his dream of tracking down his birth mother because of it, it is a powerful moment. Even though our emotional investment is not as deep into Lewis as it has been in past Disney characters, I still feel the weight of that moment in its entirety. That's simply Disney magic.
Meet the Robinsons is not a bad film whatsoever, but it is also no classic. This is middle-of-the-road work for Disney, the definition of a good film, but given my expressed critiques for this film, it should not even be deemed good. However, Disney finds a way to impress me yet again even when my mind is telling me otherwise. This rating is based on my heart, and my heart is saying that Meet the Robinsons is an irresistible charmer.
Rating: 8/10
Historical Significance: After Disney bought Pixar, Disney changed its name to Walt Disney Animation Studios with the Steamboat Willie intro to its films that can still be seen today. They also created a new logo, the same logo that is used before films today. They instituted these changes to establish they were starting over with a fresh slate now that Pixar and Disney were officially partnering together. The first animated film to display these changes was Meet the Robinsons (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was the first film ever to show off the logo, live action or animated). In the aftermath of these changes, Pixar chief John Lasseter was tasked to act as the executive producer for all future Disney animated films. His first assignment was to produce Meet the Robinsons. In a story meeting with director Stephen J. Anderson, Lasseter suggested that major changes be made to raise the quality of the final product. Over the next year, it is estimated that approximately sixty percent of the film was altered from the original plans, including adding new action scenes and further developing the Bowler Hat Guy into a more devious villain by adding his sidekick, Doris. It was this intense focus on characters and story from Lasseter and company that ultimately led to the third Golden Age of Disney, which will discuss in more detail next week.
Behind the Scenes: Director Stephen J. Anderson was no stranger to Disney prior to his involvement in Meet the Robinsons. He had worked in the story department on such films as Tarzan, The Emperor's New Groove, and Brother Bear. When he got a hold of the final script for Meet the Robinsons, he personally lobbied to direct the film due to his instant connection with Lewis because Anderson had too been an orphan and had dealt with the same emotions Lewis was feeling in the film. Disney hired him and apparently loved him because they brought him back a few years later to direct 2011's Winnie the Pooh. Furthermore, the voice acting for Lewis is suspect as it is, but the fact that Disney had to bring in two actors to record his lines certainly did not help. Daniel Hansen was initially brought in to portray Lewis, but halfway through recording, his voice broke and was deemed not suitable for Lewis's intended age any longer. The studio then brought in Jordan Fry to complete the project. Also, Disney had its eye on Jim Carrey to voice the Bowler Hat Guy, a role that peaked the interest of Carrey. Unfortunately, Carrey had to choose between Meet the Robinsons and Number 23, and he obviously chose the latter. Oh, what could have been!
Favorite Character: I have already alluded to my overall displeasure with this film's characters, but since I must choose one as my favorite, I guess I will go with the Bowler Hat Guy. Despite spending far too much time acting as a lunatic more than a villain, the Bowler Hat Guy does find a way to become the most well developed character in the ensemble due to the film's clever twist. Revealing that the Bowler Hat Guy is actually a grown up Goob, Lewis's roommate at the orphanage, is such an ingenious way to make this lackluster bad guy become a semi-memorable one. Suddenly, upon that revelation, the Bowler Hat Guy becomes a sympathetic villain of sorts, especially when Doris takes the reigns and begins plotting to take over the future. Plus, it gives his conflicts and quibbles with Lewis true meaning and merit. The Bowler Hat Guy is not one of Disney's best villains (in fact, he is probably one of their worst, but that's mainly due to the fact that Disney has made so many great villains over the years), but in an ensemble devoid of a star character, he stands out above the rest.
Favorite Scene: In a film completely dedicated to the future, my favorite scene actually occurs in the past. Near the end of the film as Lewis is supposedly returning to the present, Wilbur surprises him by staying true to his promise of taking Lewis to meet his mother. They travel back to the very moment Lewis's mom drops him off at the Sixth Street Orphanage, and Lewis finally has the opportunity he has been dreaming about for so long. However, just as Lewis is about to reveal his existence to his mom, he restrains himself and begins slowly backing away, never meeting his mother. When asked why he would do such a thing, Lewis proudly proclaims that he already has a family...in the future with the rest of the Robinsons. It is a tender, sweet film that provides a nice emotional payoff to the film's messages of family and belonging. Once again, I find myself being drawn to the dramatic. Nice job, Disney.Updated Ranking: You can begin to see in Meet the Robinsons that Disney is starting to turn things around after their previous two debacles, but this film never elevates beyond being just really good.
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Lion King
- Aladdin
- The Little Mermaid
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Peter Pan
- Cinderella
- The Jungle Book
- Sleeping Beauty
- Lilo & Stitch
- Hercules
- Mulan
- The Emperor's New Groove
- Tarzan
- Pinocchio
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- 101 Dalmatians
- Pocahontas
- Treasure Planet
- The Great Mouse Detective
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- The AristoCats
- Fantasia 2000
- Meet the Robinsons
- The Rescuers Down Under
- Fun and Fancy Free
- The Fox and the Hound
- Robin Hood
- Dinosaur
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- Brother Bear
- Oliver & Company
- The Rescuers
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire
- The Sword in the Stone
- Make Mine Music
- The Black Cauldron
- Chicken Little
- Home on the Range
Brad Bird returns to the director's chair for Pixar tomorrow with one of the studio's most mature film to date: Ratatouille!
-Cody Fleenor
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