Astro Boy

Rating: ***

Think robots,humans and a boy who is part-robot,part-human,and you can be pardoned for rolling up your eyes. However,inspired from a Japanese cartoon that first made an appearance in the ’60s and that has been frequently updated since,Astro Boy — despite frequent lapses into technical trumpeting — manages to be not just pleasing but even endearing.

While we know that he is essentially a robot,Highmore voices Astro beautifully as a lost orphan looking for a place in the world he knew and the world he finds himself in.

Astro has been created by scientist Dr Tenma (Cage),as a robot who is a 99 per cent DNA replica of his son Toby,who died while he was conducting a dangerous experiment on the orders of Metro City’s ambitious president (Sutherland). The president has been fuelling war hysteria in his re-election bid,and promising to deliver a super-weapon. This super-weapon is “the blue core”,a source of energy more powerful than nuclear,but which is positive and entirely benign.

When Toby dies,Dr Tenma and his friend,who have managed to secrete away the “blue core” from the lab disaster,give themselves Astro — who has defences against the strongest enemies and powers that they never imagined. However,Tenma comes to realise,remarkably quickly,that Astro can never be the Toby he seeks,and even as the president’s men are hot on his trail,Tenma turns his back on the boy.

A confused Astro,whose only memories are those of boy Toby,finds himself now thrown off Metro City. This is a world that humans have built in place of Earth,which itself has fallen into decay. It floats like an island in the sky above the planet,and when a robot has lost its usefulness,it is just dropped off Metro City to “rust in peace” on Earth.

Apart from the lovable Astro,the film has many other characters who manage to leave a mark,particularly three robots who have formed a “Robot Revolutionary Front” to free the machines from human tyranny,and the kids who befriend Astro on Earth.

In the end,this film about robots scores because it never loses track of the humans,and in fact,brings to screen several memorable ones. It also makes a case for giving a second thought to those who make life easier for you,in this case robots. A very welcome message.

shalini.langer@expressindia.com