Robots (2005)
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The story
In a world of robots, Rodney Copperbottom is an aspiring young inventor from the city of Rivet Town. He idolizes Bigweld, a famous inventor and philanthropist whose company, Bigweld Industries, employs other inventors and provides poor robots with spare parts. Rodney develops the diminutive Wonderbot to assist his father, but after it malfunctions, he travels to Robot City to seek help from Bigweld. However, he finds the company under the control of a new CEO, Phineas T. Ratchet, who has stopped providing parts for 'outmoded' robots in favor of expensive upgrades. Rodney must then navigate this mechanical landscape to find a way to save the struggling robots.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Rodney Copperbottom, an aspiring inventor from Rivet Town, travels to Robot City to seek help from his idol, Bigweld. He discovers that the new CEO, Phineas T. Ratchet, and his mother, Madame Gasket, are conspiring to replace 'outmoded' robots with high-tech upgrades and scrap the rest. Rodney befriends Fender Pinwheeler and a group of 'Rusties' to help fix outmoded robots. After Ratchet's forces attempt to seize them, Rodney and his allies discover the true scale of the threat at the Chop Shop. Rodney eventually finds Bigweld, who is living as a recluse. Inspired by his father, Rodney rallies the Rusties and Bigweld to fight back. In a final confrontation at Bigweld Industries, the heroes defeat Ratchet and Gasket. Bigweld is reinstated and names Rodney his successor, while Rodney's father finally gets to pursue his dream of being a musician.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 90
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Chris Wedge
- Writers
- David Lindsay-Abaire · screenplay; Lowell Ganz · screenplay; Babaloo Mandel · screenplay; Ron Mita · story; Jim McClain · story; David Lindsay-Abaire · story
- Cast and characters
- Ewan McGregor · Rodney Copperbottom; Halle Berry · Cappy; Greg Kinnear · Phineas T. Ratchet; Mel Brooks · Bigweld; Amanda Bynes · Piper Pinwheeler; Drew Carey · Crank Casey; Robin Williams · Fender Pinwheeler
- Genres
- animated; science fiction
- Themes
- following your dreams; innovation vs. greed
- Tone and mood
- humorous; adventurous
- Setting
- A world of robots, specifically Rivet Town and Robot City.
- Premise and plot tags
- robot; animation; science fiction
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, praising its humor, animation, and performances, though the story was noted as somewhat formulaic. It was a commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 33; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- ASCAP award · top box-office films · win; Annie Award · Outstanding Character Design in a Feature Production · nomination; Annie Award · Outstanding Production Design in an Animated Feature Production · nomination; Kids' Choice Award · Favorite Animated Movie · nomination; Kids' Choice Award · Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie · nomination; Teen Choice Award · Choice Movie: Animated/Computer Generated · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally scheduled for a 2004 release.; The film was the first 20th Century Fox film released on the same day on IMAX and conventional 35mm screens.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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