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Eli Marienthal, Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Christopher McDonald ... see more see more... , James Gammon , Cloris Leachman , John Mahoney , M. Emmet Walsh , Mary Kay Bergman , Ollie Johnston , Frank Thomas

A boy's best friend is his robot in this animated adventure from Brad Bird, best known for his TV work on such series as The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and The Critic. Set in 1957, The Iron Giant foc... read more read more...uses on Hogarth (voice of Eli Marienthal), an imaginative nine-year-old boy who daydreams of alien invasions and doing battle with Communist agents. One day, Hogarth hears a local fisherman talk about something that surpasses anything he could dream up: a fifty-foot robot that fell from the sky into a nearby lake. Needless to say, Hogarth's mom, Annie (voice of Jennifer Aniston) finds this a little hard to swallow, but when Hogarth finds the robot (voice of Vin Diesel) and fishes him out of the water, his pal Dean (voice of Harry Connick Jr.), a beatnik sculptor who also runs a junkyard, offers to help by hiding the robot with his salvage. A government agent named Kent Mansley (voice of Christopher McDonald) soon gets wind that there's a mechanical invader of unknown origins in the neighborhood and wants to wipe out the potential threat. However, the robot (which loves to eat metal and is learning to talk) turns out to be friendly, and the boy in turn tries to teach his new pal the ways of humans. The Iron Giant is loosely based on the book The Iron Man by late British poet Ted Hughes, previously adapted for the stage by rock musician Pete Townshend, who executive produced the film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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72% liked it

171,458 ratings

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97% liked it

114 critics

PG, 1 hr. 26 min.

Directed by: Brad Bird

Release Date: July 1, 1999

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DVD Release Date: November 23, 1999

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Stats: 6,839 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (6,839)

  • rayman0071
    April 26, 2012
    rayman0071
    The year 1999 produced an astounding of riches for feature-film animation. While that year's highest grossing animated flick "Toy Story 2" carried on the wizardry and rich storytelling of the original,while "South Park:Bigger,Longer,and Uncut" brought the taboo-busting hypocrisy-... read morebashing hilarity of the TV show to the big screen. But the best animated film of the year came from the studios of Warner Brothers. "The Iron Giant" is also the most underrated feature of the 1990's. The feature-film debut of future Pixar fixture Brad Bird(Ratatouille, The Incredibles)has future action star Vin Diesel as the voice of a giant alien robot that lands on Earth and gets befriended by a lonely boy. Notoriously,Warner Brothers dumped this adaption of Ted Hughes' "The Iron Man" into theatres with little push,but a cult following emerged once the smart,stylish,and endlessly entertaining old-school family film found it's audience.
  • aquateen2
    February 25, 2012
    aquateen2
    One of the final animated films that felt like it was made by the amazing disney writers. Beautifully drawn and greatly emotional The Iron Giant is compassionate, charming and an all time classic animated tale of friendship that must and will always be cherished.
  • kiriyamakazou
    February 5, 2012
    kiriyamakazou
    I watched this for the first time in 13 years just now. Saw it at the cinema originally, and it was truly a sight to behold. It still holds up today and the animation looks incredibly fresh. The Iron Giant sees a large robot land on Earth in the 50's. A young boy soon makes frien... read moreds with it, while a government agent investigates the sightings. The robot has forgotten who he is, but trouble arises when his built in defence mechanisms may be a danger to the small town. The Iron Giant is base on the book The Iron Man written by Ted Hughes. A book I remember from primary school. This adaptation has Americanized it, as well as making it more of a space themed Sci-Fi. The book had a battle with a space dragon, something I would have actually liked to see, even if it didn't work. The 50's setting is perfect for this kind of film. It's all about friendship, and being able to make choices no matter how we were raised. The giant is both sympathetic and cute, as well as being dangerous. It's the age old case of violence begets violence. I did find certain moments rushed in the film, as animation is usually short, but most of all I had trouble associating with Kent Mansley. He just goes too haywire towards the end. This is great stuff though, with strong animation, good vocal performances, exciting action sequences, and messages about friendship, peace, and sacrifice.
  • c0up
    January 7, 2012
    c0up
    'The Iron Giant'. An emotionally overpowering, animated marvel from the genius that is Brad Bird.

    A lonely boy, an unlikely friendship, life and death, set against the fear and paranoia of the Cold War in a small town. None of these are unique, new ideas, but 'The Iron Giant' pu... read morets them together in an unbelievably special way.

    The scenes in which Hogarth teaches the Giant about humanity are the film's finest moments, and the central theme of "you're not a gun, you are who you choose to be" doesn't come across for a second as heavy-handed; everything gels together so well.

    It toys with your emotions perfectly, from the absolute anger you feel towards Kent Mansley to the joy and sorrow that comes from the friendship of Hogarth and the absolutely lovely giant, in what is clearly Vin Diesel's finest role! The sense of impending doom and inevitability throughout the film created a sinking feeling in my stomach that heightened the emotions even further, and boy was it a rollercoaster that I went through.

    I was enraged. I was in love. I laughed. I cried.

    Oh! And J.J. Abrams' kids screaming "bad robot!" in the production logo of Bad Robot, yeah, that *has* to be inspired by this, where Hogarth screams "bad robot!" when the Giant is wreaking havoc.
  • blkbomb
    November 6, 2011
    blkbomb
    Hogarth Hughes: It's bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don't have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. Choose. 

    "It came from outer space!"

    I hadn't seen this movie for probably 10 years, but I remembered loving it as a kid. Now I know why I loved it so much. A... read morell the feelings I got when I watched it as a young kid came back watching a decade later. Of all the animated films I have seen in my life, this has to be in the top 3. It is such a fun, funny and emotional animated family movie. 

    The story follows Hogarth, a young kid living in Rockwell, Maine. He is an only child living with his mother and he causes her quite a bit of grief. If he isn't bringing a wild animal home; he is sneaking out at night to go off on an adventure. One night he finds a huge robot and quickly becomes friends with it. But soon a government investigator comes around asking questions about all the weird occurrences that have been going on. So Hogarth, with the help of a young hipster, is forced to hide him.

    The film is great homage to 50's sci-fi. The movie makes some references to some of the great sci-fi films of the 50's, such as Forbidden Planet, which Hogarth has a poster of in his room. It also uses the Cold War and Nuclear scares well as a backdrop. I loved the scene where they are showing the instructional video for how to survive a nuclear attack. 

    This is a movie that is great for both adults and children. It has more than enough entertaining elements to keep the kids quiet for an hour and a half. More importantly, it will probably keep most adults glued to it as well. There's so much there for adults. The plot is set against a backdrop that kids won't understand and it makes fun of some of the stuff that was going on during that time period very well. Also there are many references to things that parents and grandparents will remember from their childhood. This truly defines a family movie.

    General Rogard: You realize how much hardware I brought out here? You just blew millions of Uncle Sam's dollars out of your butt! 
  • fb791220692
    October 25, 2011
    fb791220692
    The last time I saw The Iron Giant, I was six, and for some reason I was never able to completely forget the movie. Sure, I forgot the story details and the characters, but I always remembered coming back from the movie feeling both sad, happy, and a little bit scared at the same... read more time - generally, a strange combination of emotions for a six year old. But I could never remember why it always stuck around in the back of my memory.

    The iron Giant is a good animated movie, which Warner Bros failed to market and has similarly failed to remind anyone of in the 12 years since its release. Bolstered by a great use of the 50s time period, including pop culture references of the time, contemporary terminology, as well as a general callback to 1950s monster and science fiction movies. Add to this the classic-emulating soundtrack, and surprisingly good animation for a non-Disney film from the 1990s, and the film proves to be very immaculately produced (despite the minor annoyance of the semi-3D robot, the effects of which look dated nowadays). In addition, the characters themselves are cliche, and much of the humor and drama is corny.

    As for those emotions that lingered since my early childhood, it turns out that they were a result of the deep, thoughtful, clever script co-written by Brad Bird (who also directed this movie, and went on to direct "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille", the last of which is my personal favorite Pixar film.) The story not only makes the relationship between a robot and a kid from the 50s believable enough to work, but the film also contains a surprisingly deep set of messages for a children's film - it delves into the common "be yourself" and "choose your own path" message of animated movies, but it delves even further into man's dependence on weaponry and violence, mortality, and even existentialism as a whole. Clearly, subjects that would leave an impression on a 6 year old. Catharsis.
  • riverdale237
    September 3, 2011
    riverdale237
    You know, when this movie came out, Warner Bros. seemed to be on their last limbs. "Quest for Camelot" sucked, "The King and I" was a royal pain and "Cat's Don;t Dance" was just downright stupid. Knowing that Warner Bros. animation was going no where, they hired Brad Bird, one of... read more the creators of the uber fantastic "Simpsons" to direct "The Iron Giant". It may be one of the best decisions they ever made, as this might be my all time favorite fully animated movie.

    What makes this movie so amazing is probably the plot. "The Iron Giant" is about a young boy named Hograth Hughes who lives with his mother. After sneaking out at night he runs into a giant robot, and saves him when he tries to eat some electrical wires. The two soon develop a strong friendship, which becomes increasingly difficult as Hograth tries to hide his friend from the military, who is out to find and destroy the robot.

    This movie really has some great voice acting. Eli Marientahl is one of the few child voice actors who is actually pretty good and realistic. Harry Connick Jr. also does a great job as Dean, Hograth's adult friend who works at a scrapyard. His role was really realistic, while at the same time showing a lot of energy.

    "The Iron Giant" might be the funniest fully animated movie I've seen in the while. The pool scene was really funny, as were the many scenes where Hograth tries to hide the giant robot.

    The script was amazing too. Every line was perfect in this movie. I guess Brad Bird carried some of his script writing abilities from "The Simpsons" over too "The Iron Giant".

    This movie also has a lot of heart, arguably as much heart as "Babe". It's one of the better and more emotional friendship movies out there. Hagrath almost get's killed several times trying to save the giant robot from becoming a murderous monster, and the giant robot would almost certainly do the same for him.

    Over all, if you have kids, they have got to see this movie. It's everything you want in a kids movie. I cry every time I see it!
  • DreamExtractor
    August 15, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    I love this movie, its always amazing to see it, one of the classic animated films of our time.
  • bbcfloridabound
    July 19, 2011
    bbcfloridabound
    An awesome Animated Adventure for both Kids and adults, finally something that a kid can watch that doesn't have trash in it. Film is about an Iron Giant who comes from another world who lands on earth in Rockwell Maine. Of all places. He forms a friendship with a kid whom saved... read more him, and who he later saves. Just a real good story line. Worth 5 stars.
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    A childhood favourite and a classic!

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Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel
August 31, 2008
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

A smart live-and-let-live parable, full of glancing, acute observations on all kinds of big subjects...that you can talk about with the kids for a long time to come. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
March 10, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

This is enjoyable in part because of its flavorsome period ambience and its lively and satiric characters. Full Review

Steven Rea
January 11, 2007
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

A cool, unique-looking animated feature (the Ike-era design elements make for great eye candy), director Brad Bird's tale of a small-town boy and his outer-space robot is hip and entertaining without ...

Doug Saunders
March 22, 2002
Doug Saunders, Globe and Mail

One of those rare films that will hold the attention of children in the 6 to 12 age range without insulting the intelligence of the adults who accompany them. Full Review

Jay Carr
January 1, 2000
Jay Carr, Boston Globe

The Iron Giant is a solid, not to say ironclad, winner in the less than overcrowded family animation arena.

Jack Mathews
January 1, 2000
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News

The animation is superb, the computer-animated monster cuts an awesome figure, and Hogarth is as amiable a hero as Huck Finn. Full Review

Cody Clark
January 1, 2000
Cody Clark, Mr. Showbiz

Elements nowhere to be found are a few cutesy sidekicks and some showstopping song - and - dance numbers -- the most refreshing thing about The Iron Giant is that you won't miss them one whit!

Lawrence Van Gelder
January 1, 2000
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times

A smooth, skilled example of animated filmmaking! Full Review

Jeff Millar
January 1, 2000
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

The Iron Giant is funny, warm, muscular and full of nuances that you can take home with you and talk about. Full Review

Rod Dreher
January 1, 2000
Rod Dreher, New York Post

The writing is vivid and bright, the voicing accomplished, and the storytelling emotionally satisfying.

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    • Hogarth Hughes: You are who you choose to be.
    • The Iron Giant: Superman.
    • Hogarth Hughes: You are who you choose to be.
    • Hogarth Hughes: I don't know, you're made of metal, but you have feelings...and that means you have a soul, and souls don't die...Mom's says it's something inside of all good things and that it goes on forever and ever..
    • Kent Mansley: Hogarth? That's an embarrassing name. They might as well have called him Zeppo or something
    • Hogarth Hughes: So we can't call Ripley's Believe it or Not, because... they wouldn't believe it.
    • Annie Hughes: Would you say grace, please?
    • Hogarth Hughes: [Hogarth sees the Giant's hand in the kitchen] Oh my God... Um, uh... oh, my God! We... thank you for the... er, food that mom has put in front of us and *stop!*... uh, the Devil... from doing bad things? And er, get out of here!... Uh, Satan? Go! Go so... that we may live in peace. Amen.
    • Annie Hughes: Amen. That was... hmm, really unusual, Hogarth.
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The Iron Giant Trivia

  • Which animated film did Vin Diesel voice one of the characters?  Answer »
  • It featured the talents of Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel and Harry Connick Jr, and had a main character who wanted to be superman. Name the animated film.  Answer »
  • In which animated movie did a little kid discover a giant robot?  Answer »
  • Who lent his voice to the Giant in The Iron Giant?  Answer »
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