The first fifteen minutes of its dialogue was groan-inducing...this, combined with Nic Cage's droning voice is enough to turn the viewer off quickly.<br /><br />Fortunately, you can't judge this one by its opening act. As soon as Astro leaves Metro City, the film really picks up. This is surprisingly intelligent, fun, nostalgic and engaging.<br /><br />The film manages to canvass some rather complex ideas regarding robotics, which really raise the quality of the story to a higher level. Characters have some shades of grey which are much appreciated.<br /><br />The animation is strong, though it is a little too Western in appearance at times, and it would have been nice to see a bit more anime style.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the lack of the classic music theme does leave a gaping hole.