The Iron Giant (PG, 1999)

common sense media says

Touching robot-kid friendship tale with great messages.

parents & educators say

26% say there are positive messages

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie provides the commensurate cartoon action that most kids love: a giant robot under attack; buildings, trains, and cars crashing; futuristic weapons firing; Hogarth, the boy hero, creeping through a dark forest looking for “trouble"; a boat caught in a storm; spooky music; and an arrogant, mean-spirited villain who threatens everyone and everything that is important. It also includes a poignant moment when a deer is shot. The filmmakers bring a point of view to the events, hoping to instruct, explain, and furnish thought-provoking ideas through which kids can view the action (i.e. “guns kill,” the collateral damage of paranoia, and taking responsibility for our choices). Set in the 1950s, one character smokes a pipe throughout and one character smokes a cigarette. Hogarth gives the villain a dose of laxative which humorously results in trips to any bathroom he can find.

Positive messages: Gracefully utilizes both plot and characters to share messages about behavior, life values, and important issues. “You are what you choose to be,” and “Don’t care what anyone else thinks” are verbalized and illustrated several times. “Guns kill; things die; it’s a part of life,” is portrayed by the errant shooting of a deer, along with “Souls don’t die; all good things go on forever and ever.” Set in the late 1950s, the government’s reaction to the Iron Giant reveals the paranoia and fear that were pervasive during the Cold War. At the film’s end, the robot is given an urgent moral dilemma: should he use his abilities as a weapon to destroy everyone and everything in his path, or should he allow himself to be destroyed in order to save his own goodness… his “soul.”

Positive role models: Hogarth Hughes, the young hero, is seen as resourceful, courageous, curious, compassionate, and intelligent. Though he sometimes ventures outside of his mom’s comfort zone, and even his own comfort zone, he is always well-intentioned and honorable. Hogarth’s struggling single mother is portrayed as concerned, loving, and hard-working. The movie’s villain, a high-ranking U.S. official, is depicted as ruthless, ego-driven, paranoid, and a threat to the heroes.

Violence & scariness: Cartoon action sequences play throughout: Boat in storm, man overboard, but escapes; a huge robot (the Iron Giant, who turns out to be one of the film’s heroes) eats metal, destroys a power station, tromps across the landscape, chasing the young boy hero and frightening people. Sparks fly, buildings fall. A deer is shot and killed. The robot is hit by a train, threatened, and shot at countless times by a squadron of armed military. To defend himself the robot creates havoc with some spectacular shooting and firing power of his own. Some spooky music accompanies old black-and-white TV footage.

Sexy stuff: Not applicable.

Language: “Hell,” is said three times, an “omigod,” and one “butt.”

Consumerism: Mentions of Twinkies, Mad magazine, Action Comics, and Superman.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Set in the late 1950s, a secretary smokes a cigarette at her desk; a government official smokes a pipe throughout. A laxative is used to obstruct the progress of the movie’s villain, with predictably humorous results as he continually needs to find a bathroom (as subtly depicted, this plot line will probably go over the heads of younger children).

Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

What to talk about

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What's the story?

Set in rural Maine during the late 1950s, THE IRON GIANT centers on 9-year-old Hogarth Hughes (voiced by Eli Marienthal), who lives with his waitress mother, Annie (Jennifer Aniston). One night, he discovers a huge robot in the woods, munching on whatever metal he can find, including the town's electric substation. Hogarth is frightened, but takes pity when the robot is enmeshed in wires, and turns off the power so that the robot can escape. The robot turns out to be the world's best playmate, whether cannonballing into the swimming hole or acting as a sort of amusement park ride. His origins remain mysterious, but his reaction to Hogarth's toy ray gun suggests that he may have served as a weapon of some kind. Local beatnick Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick, Jr.) lets Hogarth hide the robot in his junkyard, but government investigator Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald) thinks that the giant is part of a communist plot, and presses Hogarth to turn him in. Mansley calls in the army, and suddenly the robot and the surrounding community are in real danger.

Is it any good?

This is a director's cut of a wonderful film that has so much humor and heart that it is one of the best family movies around. The script, based on a book by England's poet laureate, Ted Hughes, is exceptionally good. The plot has some clever twists, and some sly references to the 1950s to tickle the memories of boomer grandparents. Setting the story in the 1950s puts the government's reaction to the robot in the context of the red scare and Sputnik.

It may not have the breathtaking vistas of some of the best Disney animated films, but it is lively and heartwarming and the characters, both human and robot, are so engaging that you might forget they are not real. The robot, created with computer graphics, is seamlessly included with the hand-drawn actors, making the illusion even more complete.

Movie themes & details

Themes

friendship, robots

Movie Details

Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Cloris Leachman, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 86 minutes
Theatrical release: August 1, 1999
DVD release: November 21, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: tension and potty humor

This review was written by Nell Minow

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What parents & educators say

Based on 23 parent & educator reviews:

26% say there are positive messages

Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

pamother
parent of 7 and 9 year old

Great movie, but too scary for under 7

Good story, lots of suspense particularly at the beginning

Movie Details

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Genre

The Iron Giant (PG, 1999)

common sense media says

parents & educators say

What parents need to know

More on The Iron Giant

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

What's the story?

What's the story?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?

Movie themes & details

Themes

Movie Details

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Review The Iron Giant

What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

Great movie, but too scary for under 7

I cry every time

The Iron Giant

Great story, but climax was over-the-top.

Sad movie

Great movie, but parents beware

Fantastic positive family movie, particularly for boys!

GREAT movie, bad language

A positive message of anti-violence, personal responsibility and compassion.

This movie is amazing but beware the ending!

Too Sad

Awesome

great movie

Great family movie!

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