If viewers are looking for the haunting, dystopian vistas and devastating landscapes from Stalenhag's book, they'll be disappointed. But there are amazing and captivating effects, practical and digital, that build a unique world vision.
What this film has going for it is Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown (more on them later), combining with a talented group of voice actors. Tucci is as good as ever but his part is thinly developed. Giancarlo Esposito brings his trademark gravitas and emotional weight to the story as well, in a role that, while not perfectly written, provides a surprising part of the movie's center.
The Mr Peanut (Woody Harrelson) role, for me, didn't quite work. The "bots" I enjoyed were Herm ( unrecognizably voiced by Anthony Mackie) and the postal bot Penny Pal (Jenny Slate).
There are definite plot holes, but considering the at times preposterous world we're in, is it worth complaining about story gaps? The robot cavalry makes a long sojourn to their final battlefield in a long caravan that doesn't get attacked, and improbably makes crazy good time doing it. And there's the disposal of a very central bot in a very uncaring way that wouldn't happen, but provides a sentimental wink at the viewer.
Humorous, with lots of crash bang and very cool looking shots, especially with the giant sized robots, it's just fun enough, and interesting enough to watch all the way through. Pratt and Brown are fun-ish together, and bring their acting talents to a movie from a genre they are both very familiar with, so I do recommend it.
But Brown feels wrong in this: her appearance as a bounced around foster child feels too "glam" at times, because she isn't grubby enough. Her acting also feels very much as though she's going through the paces, almost too self aware. Her fluffed up lip's lipstick and gloss doesn't fit with Keats' (Pratt) grimy, disheveled bootlegger.
While Brown is given too many "noble" lines to deliver without coming off as sanctimonious, and Pratt is a little too much like Starlord at his most shrill and irritating; you can mostly forgive them because of their innate charm.
The Russo brothers are definitely talented, so there is a high bar set before you watch the first scene.
But they made a choice, the scary barren world that the book painted beautifully, is not the direction they picked. Instead they leaned into a little Spielberg, a little Lucas and some James Gunn. It doesn't make for a perfect movie, but hey, I watched the whole thing and wasn't mad that I did.
There's a lot of kvetching about the big budget and where did it all go. I have two thoughts on that: one, those cool shots of the giant bots, and the very good animatronic facial expressions weren't cheap. Second, the movie definitely feels like there were a number of scenes that were cut. Quite a few actually. I'd definitely watch the full cut, if there is such a thing. There are many telling points, story jumps being one, but Holly Hunter is too much of an accomplished actress to appear in one scene, and a voiceover.
So, give it a watch, you won't be mad that you did, and if you are, well, there's worse things to be mad at.
Just don't expect to be blown away, and hoping for a new franchise.
