“Everyone will tell you to let it go and move on, but don't! Instead, let it fester and boil inside of you! Take these feelings and lock them away. Let them fuel your actions. Let hate be your ally, and you will be capable of wonderful, horrid things. Heed my words, Goob: don't let it go.” -- Bowler Hat Guy giving great advice per usual
Initial thoughts before viewing: I never saw this movie during it's original theatrical run in 2007 (I may have still been bitter about how terrible Chicken Little was). But I had always heard that Meet the Robinsons was sort of an underrated movie, so I ended up watching this on Disney+ during the first few weeks of the pandemic lockdown of 2020. And I was delighted by how endearing it was!
If you'd like a more comprehensive summary of Meet the Robinsons, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the entire plot summary.
Highlights:
-Bowler Hat Guy is an original, intriguing antagonist. First, I love that everyone just refers to him as "Bowler Hat Guy." He looks like a classic villain character with black cape and sinister mustache, but like a Transformer, there is more to this guy than meets the eye. **Spoiler Alert** As keen eyed observers may figure out part way through the movie, Bowler Hat Guy has humble origins: he was once Michael "Goob" Yagoobian, our protagonist Lewis' sweet but clueless roommate at the orphanage who was driven to villainy by a tragic baseball-related event. Blaming Lewis for his failure, Goob spirals down a path to villainy. Long before Hans betrayed Anna in Frozen, Goob's surprise reveal as Bowler Hat Guy is a refreshing, original plot point new to Disney animation. Goob/Bowler Hat Guy is a funny, sympathetic character who has layers of complexity and shades of gray when it comes to his nefarious ways. Does he redeem himself? The movie leaves this nicely ambiguous, but I'd like to think so!
-So much frenetic future energy! When Wilbur takes Lewis into the future, Meet the Robinsons quickly morphs into a colorful, freewheeling film. While some may say the movie is too frantic and quick-paced at this point, I personally loved the absurdism and frenetic vibe here. There are a ton of new Robinson family members introduced quickly, although some are funnier and more successful characters than others. The colors and backgrounds of the movie also get more vibrant and happy, with clever futuristic gags and even a nod to Disneyland's Tomorrowland for park fans.
-The Family Tree Scene. Meet the Robinsons has some very frantic moments, but the most well done has to be this brief scene where Lewis and Wilbur break down the Robinson Family Tree. The first time I saw this, I burst out laughing and couldn't stop for about a minute. I don't think kids will get the gag here, but for adults (and Tom Selleck fans), this scene is a gem.
-This T-Rex Moment. Easily the most memorable, hilarious line of the movie.
Disliked:
-The computer animation here is rough. It looks like Disney didn't evolve much in the computer animation department since its previous disaster, Chicken Little two years prior. In fact, the fusion between Disney and Pixar occurred during the production of the film, although that clearly was not enough to help the production design of the this movie. The muted, waxy looking animation in the film isn't very impressive and doesn't hold up upon rewatch.
-Why does every movie set in the future have an annoying golden robot? Meet Carl the robot, i.e. basically C-3PO and B.E.N. from Treasure Planet. Yawn.
Closing Thoughts:
Meet the Robinsons has a gigabyte of heart. A baby being left on the doorstep of an orphanage has been done many times, yet Meet the Robinsons makes it feel new again. It's obvious from the first few minutes of the film that our orphaned, brilliant protagonist Lewis is desperate for familial love. This is what drives his actions throughout the movie and keeps the audience firmly engaged. The last few minutes of the movie are superb: accompanied by the song "Little Wonders" sung by Rob Thomas, this may be one of the best endings of all Disney animated films. I dare you to watch it and not shed a tear.
The bottom line: Meet the Robinsons is an unassuming gem filled to the brim with creativity, heartfelt storytelling, and the valuable message of 'keep moving forward.'
If you haven't seen this one, it's a sweet, entertaining watch. Just have some tissues handy for the ending. 😂
My Rating: 6/10
And that's it for the Post-Renaissance/Second Dark Age! We've gotten through 2000-2007, a Disney era notorious for its troubled and uneven animated films. It wasn't too bad, right? 😉
Now entering the Revival Era. These are the movies from 2008 to the present! Only 12 titles left to view... and the first up is Bolt!
