The Iron Giant. One of my favourite animated movie of all time and I could argue that it is in fact the greatest animated movie to ever grace western cinema. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the film, let me fill you in. The Iron Giant takes place in 1957 during the Cold War and revolves around a young boy named Hogarth Hughes and his relationship with a giant metal robot from outer space.
I’m going to be talking about story elements throughout this article so if you haven’t seen it, go watch it as I truly believe it’s something you should experience for yourself. The film didn’t do great financially which is a shame because it honestly is a brilliant film, its gathered a large cult following and is regarded as a classic.
The Iron Giant is directed by Brad Bird and it’s actually his first feature-length movie. He then went on to do The Incredibles and Ratatouille which are both amazing movies, it’s safe to say he’s built up quite the resume.
Brad Bird’s Direction and Animation Style
Let me start by saying this movie is beautiful, the hand-drawn world is so pleasing to the eyes and although the Giant was created entirely by computer, he blends seamlessly with the world. The animation is striking and attempts to recreate the look of a Cold War-Era America which makes for some stunning scenes. The voice acting is also great, you’ve got Vin Diesel as the Giant, Eli Marienthal as Hogarth and Jennifer Aniston, Christopher McDonald and Harry Connick Jr. in there too. They all do a great job at delivering their lines with the appropriate emotion that is required within the particular scene.
But what is it that makes the film so amazing? Yeah the film is gorgeous and the voice acting is great but what of the actual plot? Well on the surface the film is pretty simple. A robot from outer space crashes down to Earth and a young boy befriends him, meanwhile a paranoid government agent is out to expose the robot and destroy him.
Hogarth and the Giant’s relationship is what makes the movie so lovable, watching them interact is a joy and you really buy into their friendship. When both of your main characters are so lovable then its only logical you’re going to love watching them. Because Hogarth has to try and hide the Giant from everyone you get some funny scenarios, one of my favourites in particular is when he’s saying grace at dinner and the Giant’s hand has found itself inside their home.
Now the film has its laughs and action packed scenes as is expected when you have a giant robot as the title character. But the emotional aspects are where this movie shines, not only does the movie touch on the concept of death which is a touchy subject in a kids film, it touches heavily on xenophobia. Now let me just rewind and talk about the Giant for a second. He is from both Hogarth’s and the audiences perspective, a little kid. He doesn’t really understand anything, in fact when he first meets Hogarth he can’t talk.
We get to see this character grow in a sense and his resemblance to a child is what makes him so likeable. So when the Giant encounters a dead deer, it is both confusing and intriguing to him. When Hogarth, who remember is just 9 years old, has to explain the concept of death to him, it is really moving. I also have to talk about the music. Hats off to the composer, Michael Kamen, as the score is simply magical. In every scene the music stands out and never feels out of place and its those emotional scenes where the music really has an impact.
Why The Iron Giant Still Resonates Today
Xenophobia. It is the fear or hatred of that which is foreign. That is a word that is extremely relevant in today’s day and age. The Iron Giant teaches children a lesson that is both important and valid, just because something is alien to you doesn’t mean it is a monster. It is through Brad Birds excellent direction that this provides social commentary on both xenophobia and race.
Commentary on the Cold War also comes into play as the likely tension between the US and Russia is mentioned throughout the movie. The people of the town of Rockwell are always showing signs of fear, fear of foreigners. There’s a scene where some children in Hogarth’s class are talking about the Giant and how he has probably been sent by foreign enemies, one child even proposes they bomb him. The Giant we know is both sweet and innocent however he is constantly viewed as a military weapon and has his very existence threatened by those who do not know him.
The town of Rockwell view the Giant as a monster and it isn’t until he sacrifices himself to protect humankind from an incoming missile that they treat him as a hero. Whilst the whole town is cheering, having just gained a hero they rejected, Hogarth is the only one to be truly upset as he has lost a good friend. It isn’t until he is dead they truly appreciate the Giant, erecting a statue in his honour and thus gaining the recognition from those who vilified him.
The importance of The Iron Giant is something that doesn’t need to be debated, the fact that this film slips under the radar of many is saddening to someone who grew up with it. Beyond the theme of friendship, the film is a moral story of acceptance and understanding and no one should miss this masterpiece.
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