Perhaps in part due to the fact that the film bombed at the box office, The Iron Giant has developed quite a cult around it in recent years. Some of the enthusiasm is justified--the animation is quite impressive and the story appealing--but the movie does not work as well as its defenders would have one believe.

The biggest problem with The Iron Giant lies with the fact that the entire movie feels like a less-witty animated remake of E.T. Think about it--lonely boy from a fatherless home stumbles upon a sweet and gentle creature from another world and bonds with the strange being, ultimately facing off against government agents who want the creature for their own purposes. While obviously some details differ, the movie has the feel of something we've seen before. Additionally, though set in the 1950s the movie never really gets the details of the era right. Cold War paranoia is fairly easy to drum up, but almost every character (especially the poorly-essayed main character and the psuedo-Beatnik) sounds as if he or she was lifted from the 1990s.

All things considered, The Iron Giant is probably not a waste of time or money, but it is also not the brilliant work of cinema that many of its supporters claim it to be.

This is an incredible film--animated or otherwise. The story is flawless, the emotions powerful and honest. It is no accident that as of this writing, the film averages 5 stars after 450 (now 451) reviews. It is no surprise that the director/writer Brad Bird went on to make another classic--The Incredibles.

I fell in love with this precocious little boy and his iron alien friend the first time my family saw it in theatres. So of course I had to have the special edition DVD, bought cheaply because, for some odd reason, the uncultured masses have no appreciation for this story.

Trust me. Pop this into the DVD player and enjoy one of the most magical movies to come along in a while.

Set during the Cold War, this is the story of young Hogarth Hughes who is not only cursed with that awful name but a gifted mind that has popped into an older grade where he is tormented by bullies. His single mom works as a waitress, so Hogarth is pretty much on his own until an adventure leads him to discover a giant robot that happens to have no idea why he is there. What he is? Where did he come from? What is his mission? Such questions are thrown to the back as Hogarth makes his first real friend and is lead on a myriad of further adventures. As for the Giant, does his purpose matter in comparison to what he wants for himself?

These themes are explored through some truly three-dimensional characters: Hogarth's mom (voiced wonderfully by the lovely Jennifer Aniston), a local junk artist/beatnik, a villainous government agent sent to see what all the fuss is.

This movie is an emotional and animation gem that is so underappreciated it's not funny.

Buy this and you will be pleased. To think it is unknown by so many. A great movie. The whole family can watch.

I saw this movie a few years ago and forgot about it. I saw that Amazon had it for a great price so I ordered it for my nephew and he loves it. He is going to be 8 years old and my sister called me the other day to tell me that he loves the movie and has watched it many times already. for the price i would recomend that anyone who buys this DVD from Amazon should buy the Special Edition