ASTRO KID / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: ÉRIC TOSTI / SCREENPLAY: DAVID ALAUX, ÉRIC TOSTI, JEAN-FRANÇOIS TOSTI / STARRING: LANDEN BEATTIE, JASON ANTHONY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
There are few things more terrifying than the idea of being lost in the abyss of space but that is the situation young wannabe explorer Willy (voiced by Landen Beattie) finds himself in in French animated space adventure, Astro Kid – not to be confused with Astro Boy. Conversely, this lost in space family animation is a burst of colour and fun as 10-year-old Willy lands on an unknown planet after he gets separated from his parents when their spaceship is destroyed on a last mission before returning home to Earth.
Willy is not alone on this new territory. His trusty space pod comes equipped with plenty of broccoli puree and a shiny red robot assistant named Buck (Jason Anthony) to guide him as he waits for a search probe to find and send him back home to his parents. There’s a Big Hero 6 Beymax feel to the robot as he learns to respond to Willy’s human emotions and deliver a high-five – it’s familiar but fun and touching in equal measure.
Along the way, we meet a cast of menacing rock-dinosaur-crab-hybrid monsters and bright squidgy creatures, including a neon dog-like companion called Flash, as Willy learns to take care of himself and navigate his way around this new planet.
This is definitely a film for young kids, there isn’t an awful lot in there for the adults in the audience along for the ride but the animation is wonderful and the environments which Director Éric Tosti and co. have created offer an exciting Technicolor landscape of weird and wonderful wildlife. That said, it’s also not your typical over the top kids summer movie which, despite the well-worn tale of longing for home, may be a welcome tone for parents particularly with its underlying themes of being kind to the environment and learning to fend for yourself. It can feel a little slow and there are times when the voice acting is a tad iffy (there is a moment in the beginning when you have to question if his parents are that bothered about little Willy going off on his own into space) but overall, it’s a good story of survival with plenty of fun moments along the way.
Expected Rating: 6 out of 10
