Everybody's a critic: 'Robots'

Three-and-a-half stars (out of four)

"Robots" is the newest in the line of 20th Century Fox animation. This family comedy, which is geared more for children, still caters to the kid in us all.

Running at approximately 90 minutes, it's long enough to be worth the price but still short enough to capture the attention of children and adults alike. I recommend this movie not only to the family but also to teenagers and anyone whom is wanting to sit down and escape for an hour and a half.

This movie combines the usual cartoon comedy for children and continues to place parodies of popular events into the mix.

Robots takes place in a world where everyone is a robot. Rodney (voiced by Ewan McGregor) takes off to make something of himself and make his family proud. Trying to meet the Master Inventor named Big Weld (Mel Brooks), he discovers a ploy to force every robot to purchase upgrades or get turned into scrap. Teaming up with an unlikely bunch of friends, Rodney must do battle against this evil corporation and save the day.

- Tomothy Chism, student

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Three stars (out of four)

I remember vividly as a child how I used to wait until my parents had gone to sleep and then I'd pull the bedcovers over my head, get out my flashlight and read the science-fiction greats of the time -- Arthur C. Clark, Ray Bradbury or Robert Heinlein.

But had I had to read the story of "Robots" I think I'd have found myself quickly falling asleep. This is definitely a youngster's movie -- adults beware of boredom!

There is a moral to this story, i.e., follow your dreams and reach your goal in life. Not exactly a new idea but probably sound advice which is followed by young Rodney Copperbottom as he comes of age and leaves Rivot Town for Robot City to pursue his dream of becoming an inventor. He seeks out Big Weld, the benevolent ruler of Robot City in the hopes of showing Weld his inventions, only to find out that the evil Ratchet and his band of aluminum wiseguys and his wicked mother have exiled Big Weld and taken over the bailing wire world. Do you get the feeling this is a "nuts and bolts" sort of story?

The music is irrelevant and designed only to provide a noisy background. There are no lurid scenes to corrupt your child and good does overcome evil. Oh, and yes there is a soft element of boy meets girl. Suspense is at a minimum and were it not for some moments of clever animation there is nothing much to draw one's attention. For kids I'd give it two and a half stars, for adults two stars at best.

- Terry White, retired