Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Tom Smith 05.19.10 / 10pm

   I thought that this film was excellent, I thought the voice work was done very well and the story line was impeccable. it is odd that I would say that a movie had a great ending, but The Iron Giant pulls it off, the viewer is left with a warm feeling of hope and a sound conclusion, but also curiosity about what will happen.
2. Zane Way-Henthorne 06.27.10 / 3pm

   “The Iron Giant” is one of my favorite kiddie sci-fi movies. Like E.T., the film suggests that children have it in them to see past the greatest of differences (it is hard to imagine something more foreign than a giant metal alien) and befriend what might seem to others to be “monsters.” I suppose that this ultimate theme of “The Iron Giant” can be extended to adults as well as kids. That’s what I like about the film – it is a parable that hopes to teach us to see beyond superficial differences and accept even those people who seem most foreign to us.
3. Paul Montoya 06.27.10 / 9pm

   Byron Potau appropriately considers “The Iron Giant” a film in which the rustic nature and innocence is preserved in its presentation as a hand drawn CGI feature. As it lacks in stunning CGI effects, in contrast with its counter parts, it makes up for in content as it draws upon a very basic moral exposed by a boy’s acceptance and friendship between a robot. Potau also introduces the fact that Bird also uses the government agent as a figure for the Cold War-based satire as the agent comically searches for the alien robot amidst this typical 1950s American rural town.
4. Vincent Grafton 07.06.13 / 11pm

   Potau does a fine job of describing the classic feel of “The Iron GIant. He informs us with knowledge of director,Brad Bird’s more present work, “The Incredibles.” This being the Bird’s more CGI filled and well known work gives Potau reason to remind less experienced viewers that this film does not have CGI like “The Incredibles” whatsoever. I feel it is necessary to remind those who have not seen “The Iron GIant” yet should soon, and with an open mind because the film is about a time period when CGI was not being used in films at all. This allows the animators to not feel the need to be the most innovative or weird even, but create a fantastical story that any generation can relate with.
5. ismendez1 10.09.14 / 1pm

   I remember first seeing this film in 2004 because of my little brother. I do feel that Byron Potau, captured the main idea of the story which is of the bond that the alien robot formed with the boy, Hogarth which is very adventurous. He also gave a lot of background information during the timing of the film. He described all the main characters of the film and gave brief descriptions of there roles and there individual impact on the plot of the story. The actual picture of the animation was also mentioned which was a good point to put in and the way he put a little comparison to another film E.T. I enjoyed. The review was an excellent review on this film.
6. FS101CW 10.15.14 / 10am

   This film was one of my favorites growing up in the 90’s i was 9 when I first saw this particularly enjoyed the spectacular hand drawn scenes of the Giant machine and all of his components that had that 50’s look. When watching The Iron Giant this time I noticed the political humor that I missed as a child. One of my favorite scenes is when the children are watch the duck and cover nuclear bomb video in school, that showed just how silly and paranoid the world was in the 50s. I love the ending where the Giant becomes Superman and saves the town, then just when we think he will never be again, we are shown all his parts slowing traveling towards his head. The message in this movie was great it reminds me of the Maslow’s hammer “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.”
7. Daniel Gonzalez 10.12.17 / 4pm

   This film a childhood favorite of mine. This response thoroughly talks about the key points of the film in regards to its sci-fi theme. The films family friendly humor brings in children with the several iconic scenes of destruction and humor between a child and an Iron Giant. The films Mise-en-scène is easily manipulated because it is a cartoon with a setting in the middle of the U.S. A presence of worry in the towns hearts and paranoia is passed from neighbor to family. This film shines light into the lives of patrons all over the United states during the 1950s and gives hope to the outcome of a possible nuclear threat.
8. Jake Tourtillotte 10.12.17 / 6pm

   This film was made when I was a child and was one of my favorite movies as a kid I can still remember that movie to this day. Was easily one of my favorite movies that I have watched in my life. I belief the reason that I liked this movie so much is because of the relationship between the little kid and the robot. And the interaction between the kid and the robot was so strong that nothing could break them apart. But when the rocket went off. And the robot went to sacrifice himself for everyone else was the most heartbreaking moment in the movie.
9. Ryan Dale 10.12.17 / 10pm

   I found this review really entertaining, because I remember watching Iron Giant when I was a kid and loving it. I don’t remember almost any of the plot points, but I certainly don’t remember it being tied into the Cold War. It makes sense that my young self didn’t understand the historical reference, but its still funny to think about. I think its cool you were able to recognize all of the satirization of Cold War era thinking, and this review makes me want to go back and watch the movie and see if I can pick up on those same queues.
10. jpradin 03.15.18 / 9pm

    This movie I had to really search the archives to find. This was my favorite movie growing up. My father was a gun enthusiast and my mother hate guns so this movie showed both end of that spectrum to me and really hit home. The iron giant was a big teddy bear with sharp teeth. lovable and caring yet dangerous and caused havoc every step he took. In the movie he was explicitly dangerous to almost everyone but to Hogar it was different he was his friend. They planned out perfect mise-en-scène in the film to make the iron giant look like a weapon to the army and FBI but to the mechanic and Hogar he was the exact opposite. which is exactly what guns were in my family growing up. this movie is actually very relevant today as we are in a very big societal dilemma with guns and school shootings so I’m glad i found this movie again and hope more people can see both sides of the story with guns and weapons and not just be stubborn and ignorant and pick a side without true knowledge of the situation.
11. Clayton Bowles 07.20.18 / 5pm

    This review was spot on and really explained the film well. Also the review was easy to read and made sense throughout. the film Iron Giant was a childhood favorite for me. I could watch it over and over again. Although the film is a bit out dated it still doesn’t fail to excite me. I really like how the film maker made the art in the film. This film is also very easy to follow ands it has a good amount of action in it. Lastly, my favorite part of this film is when the robot breaks things then tries to fix what he did wrong. Even though theres no way to fix the damages he’s done.
12. david rodriguez 07.18.20 / 10pm

    This film is an excellent demonstration of using all of your resources to their full potential. I remember watching the documentary on the film where the animation crew discussed how hard it was to animate the 3d model of the robot to be so smooth and clean, using all of their processing power to the limit. WB had about half of what Disney/Pixar would have in the following year or two to come with their blockbuster hit ‘Toy Story’ so this review praises the film very well. This is a film, no matter age, that you can enjoy for all of eternity and also provides great replay-ability. The cast does an amazing job and so does Brad Bird with his great view of direction for the film and does a great job at incorporating all the aspects of a mise-en-scene to create such a believable 1950’s cold-war era Maine. Great film and great review.

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