Astro Boy

Astro Boy, né Tetsuwan Atomu, first appeared in a 1951 manga by Tezuka Osamu. A true child of the atomic age, this tin-can Pinocchio with rocket legs and a heartrending longing for real parents inspired the anime movement with his big-eyed aesthetic. He went on to become a cartoon star, a style icon, and a gay icon; he has appeared on Japanese postage stamps and even been inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame. (You know you've arrived when your co-inductees include the Terminator, R2-D2 and C-3PO.)

Diehard fans should be warned that the new Astro Boy movie will not deliver the nostalgic hit they are hoping for. Those who grew up on the 1982 television cartoon (or even the 1963 one) will find this CG animation overly Westernised and aimed all too squarely at the kids of today. (Case in point: for most of the movie, Astro Boy wears jeans.) This is not necessarily such a bad thing. At least a new generation of young'uns is being exposed to Astro Boy (hey look! A superhero without a dark side!) and there are enough contemporary references to entertain the parents who accompany them (cue: warmongering president desperate for re-election and bumbling band of revolutionary robots).

The film is an origin story about how Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is created by Dr Tenma (Nicolas Cage) to replace his dead son; how he discovers and struggles with his true robotic identity; and then realises his destiny as the saviour of mankind. Plus there's action, explosions, moral lessons and humour by the circuitload.  

Although the voices are American and English, the film's animation was done by Hong Kong-based Imagi Studios (who also did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adaptation, TNMT). There are subtle nods to the cartoon's Japanese roots: for instance, the minor robot character Zog (Samuel L Jackson) looks like the robot in Hayao Miyazaki's 1986 film Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Inspiration for Astro Boy's futuristic world came from Japanese 19th and 20th century artists Katsushika Hokusai and Isamu Noguchi. Too bad they couldn't have thrown sentimental old-timers a bone and included that catchy Astro Boy theme song in there as well. Sarah Theeboom

Astro Boy screens from 15 Oct.

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