The Iron Giant is a film co-written and directed by Brad Bird. This film was on my radar for quite some time since it is directed by Brad Bird. Finally, I decided to watch the film and I can say that it was definitely great.Plot: Hogarth befriends a giant robot but also has to defend the robot from a ruthless government official.Story and direction: This film was in the traditional animation form which incorporated little CGI. At a time when CGI films were on the rise, bringing out such a film is a risk. With Brad Bird as the captain of the ship, what is to go wrong?? Nothing. Director's like Brad Bird is why I love animated films. Not only do they have such a good story but a message that is relevant and should be applied too in real life. This film deals with themes that no one at the time dealt with and is still relevant even in this world where technology has dominated every aspect of our lives. The film also very beautifully shows that it is not necessary to be human to have feelings. Everyone has feelings. Brad Bird and his team were able to grasp my attention in this 87 minute film. But it is quite sad to know that this film didn't work wonders at the time of its release. Some things quite notable are the designs for the town and the robot. They are impeccable and beautiful. Even the characterization work in the film is just spot-on. The bond formed between Hogarth and the robot seems real. Kent's character has been beautifully portrayed in the film. Even the voice work of this film is excellent and I couldn't fault it for even a second. There are some jokes in this film that I laughed and also some scenes which made me very emotional. The music by Michael Kamen also does wonders and goes with the flow of the film. If I had to nit-pick this film for any flaw, I would say it was the story. Many movies have shown such stories and the subject I would say was nothing new.Favorite Scene: It would be the one where Hogarth decides to tell a bed-time story to the robot so that he could fall asleep. He has different books with him and tells them the gist of two of them. This scene just resonated with the main theme the film deals with and very correctly justifies the difference between good and evil.Verdict: As a first timer director, Brad Bird just hit a bulls eye. I was impressed with almost every aspect of the film. This film proves that medium is not necessary to bring across your point. If the message is correct and properly shown, then the medium doesn't matter that much. Even after the film ended, I was thinking about the film. And thank god, the film wasn't made into a musical (which was actually the original plan of the makers). For those who have loved Brad Bird animated films and think that he is one the great animators at present, I urge you to watch this film. It is a beautiful and thought provoking feature. I was highly impressed by it and sure that you will be too.I am going with a 9/10.

This heartwarming film shows the great talent of director Brad Bird in every way.

I remember watching this when it first came out on DVD, I was about 6 years old. To a child, this is a story about a colossal robot wanting to use his powers for good. Nearly twenty years later as I enter adulthood, I view this film completely differently. A story about loneliness, a young boy confiding in the titular character in a bid to teach him his ideologies of anti-warfare. A governmental agency concerned for the welfare and security of their own country, viewing the giant as a weapon from another nation. I cannot emphasise enough how rare it is to find such a multi-dimensional family animation that tells a different story dependent on your own perspective. Bird's directorial debut is a statement and certainly a landmark in the animation genre, garnering a cult status where the giant is often the centre of several pop cultural references ('Ready Player One' anyone?). The steampunk aesthetic appeal, CGI on top of hand-drawn animation and surprisingly dark themes has resulted in a flick that has aged impeccably well. Incredibly minimalistic in its storytelling, particularly the deer death scene, yet utterly powerful. The characters themselves were brimming with personality, from the mischievous boy to his worrying mother, they all brought the pictures to life accompanied by an intelligent screenplay. Voice acting was pretty special also, boasting an A-List cast including Aniston and the deep sounds of Diesel. The pacing was pretty much perfect, quickest hour and a half you'll experience. Let's talk about that heartbreaking ending...perfection. It took everything that the film symbolised and placed them all into one powerful scene. Everything from the themes, metaphors and ideologies. Boom. That scene. It defines the film. Whilst I would've preferred they removed the final minute, it is a family film so I'll let it slide. What I can confidently say is that The Iron Giant is a timeless thematic classic that hasn't shown any signs of rust just yet. One of the most impressive directorial debuts.

The Iron Giant came out in 1999 in the midst of a troubling promotional campaign that made the film suffer at the theatrical box office, only for critics to immediately fall in love with the film resulting in audiences discovering it once it came out on home video; and it quickly became a success story for the ages.Nearly two decades on and this film has aged wonderfully well. It's a heartwarming and tear-jerking adventure that still holds a special place in my heart as being an animated film that has the potency of a live-action film and showing that animation doesn't need to adhere to the Disney formula of songs, animals and princesses. Brad Bird gives an experience akin to that of a Hayao Miyazaki film. The Iron Giant is a golden piece of Warner Brothers Animation goodness that has all the care and attention to detail comparable to the works of Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett.Putting it shortly, The Iron Giant is an all-time favorite of mine as it is for many animation aficionados the world over; and it's as necessary as movies like Back to the Future and The Star Wars Trilogy. 5/5 stars.