Likely destined to follow in the footsteps of its animated, robotic predecessor The Iron Giant, Astro Boy is in every respect a stronger, more worthwhile film than most everything that actually aims at kids that has come along in decades. Perhaps a statement that is startlingly bold, but among the recent competition, animated films are either – only for kids in a sort of sideways sense (Up, Wall-E), or appeal to them largely in the simplest terms, and in some cases as though we do not have a great deal of respect for them (I won’t name names).
Nothing really against a solid effort of simplest terms, by the way. There is certainly something to be said for a movie for kids that is upfront about delivering an excuse for a good many gags, because kids are going to have a good time.