Four out of
Five stars
Running time:
101 mins
Brightly animated, inventive and frequently hilarious, this is an enjoyable adventure with colourful characters and a neat Back to the Future-inspired plot.
What's it all about?
Lewis (voiced by Daniel Hansen and Jordan Fry) is a 12-year-old orphan whose latest inventions keep scaring off potential adoptive parents.
When Lewis enters his school science fair with a memory machine (designed to help him remember his mother), he attracts the attention of a sinister man in a bowler hat (director Steve Anderson), who has come from the future to steal Lewis' machine for his own sinister purposes.
However, help is at hand in the form of 13-year-old Wilbur Robinson (Wesley Singerman), who whisks Lewis into the future to help foil Bowler Hat Man's evil plan. Along the way, Lewis encounters the wacky members of Wilbur's family, who encourage him to realise his potential as an inventor.
The Good
The loss of Pixar seems to have upped the stakes for Disney and Meet the Robinsons appears to be their attempt to prove they can still deliver the goods, animation-wise. Fortunately, their attempt succeeds, thanks to a clever, witty Back to the Future-inspired plot and some delightfully inventive animation (the disturbing vision of an alternate future is just one of many highlights).
The film dispenses with the usual big name stunt casting in favour of creating likeable, detailed characters you really care about. In fact, the film takes an even cheekier approach, making its only big name star (Tom Selleck as Mr Robinson) the subject of an amusing gag.
The Great
The terrific script is packed with laugh-out-loud gags and delivers moments of genuine tension, as well as managing to work in an embrace your imagination-style message without getting too bogged down in sentimentality. However, the plot may be too complex for young children.
Worth seeing?
Meet the Robinsons is a hugely enjoyable, brilliantly inventive and brightly animated adventure that's a treat for the entire family.
Highly recommended.