Genre: CG Animation
Director: Steve Anderson
Cast: Angela Bassett, Tom Selleck, Harland Williams, Laurie Metcalf, Adam West, Ethan Sandler, Tom Kenny
RunTime: 1 hr 42 mins
Released By: BVI
Rating: G
Official Website: www.meettherobinsons.com

Soundtrack: ACCESS "Meet The Robinsons" Soundtrack Review

Opening Day: 5 April 2007

Synopsis :

Based on the book A Day with Wilbur Robinson. Lewis is an orphan who dreams of finding a family. His journey takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious stranger named Wilbur Robinson whisks him away to a world where anything is possible…THE FUTURE.

There, he meets an incredible assortment of characters and a family beyond his wildest imagination, The Robinsons, who help lead him on an amazing and hilarious adventure with heartfelt results.

Movie Review:

This reviewer remembers that faithful day 18 years ago in 1989, when he first experienced the wonderful world of Disney on celluloid. Red-haired Ariel from Ron Clements and John Musker’s The Little Mermaid affectionately belted out the uplifting song “Part of Your World”, and the magic never left.

18 years later, after several princesses and princes have come and gone, the House of Mouse is still at its charming best.

Walt Disney Pictures’ second full-length CG feature tells a story so delightful (“Don’t bring up the critically-panned mess that was Chicken Little!” we can almost hear the studios execs shouting), it will please the kid in you.

Based on William Joyce’s illustrated book “A Day with Wilbur Robinson”, the 103-minute movie follows Lewis, a 12-year-old orphan, as he travels to the future by chance to meet a wacky family. The brilliant inventor also has to find time to deal with a mysterious baddie, and to find out why his mother left him at the orphanage years ago.

Yes, it sounds like the dozens of other family-friendly Disney flicks you have seen before. Remember the one where the protagonist does something wrong and the whole world misunderstands him? Remember the one where the protagonist goes through some kind of test and withstands all the difficulties to come out triumphant? Remember the one where the bad guy is defeated and everyone cheers at the happy ending?

Because this is a Disney movie, these predictable plotlines are inevitable here. But despite knowing what is in store, you’d still find yourself going with the flow, engaging yourself in the boy’s exciting and witty adventures. It’s like going on an adventure you never had.

You’d also be laughing at the zany cast of characters which includes a gang of singing frogs, an adorable couch potato and a seemingly senile ventriloquist. These among others are just some of the colourful characters that only the folks at Disney can come up with.

The animation used here isn’t too bad at all either. It is definitely an improvement over the rather flat chick in Chicken Little (“Do they have to bring it up again?” we can almost hear the studio execs shouting) in 2005. We realized why when a check with the end credits tells us that John Lasseter, the vice president of Pixar Animation Studios, served as the movie’s executive producer.

Other than the relatively unknown cast who provides effective voice acting, as well as Danny Elfman’s energetic score, what makes this animated movie a notch above the rest are the messages it has in store for viewers like you and me.

What makes a real friend? What makes a real family? What is failure? What is letting go of the past?

These are just some of the relevant lessons you can take home with, whether you are a kid or an adult.

And when the movie concludes with a personal quote from Mr. Walt Disney himself, you realize that his brand of magic never went away.

Movie Rating:

(An entertaining and inspiring movie that brings you on a trip as you’ve only imagined - Disney animation is definitely back in form)

Review by John Li