Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt

Visually stunning animation.

Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov

If Victorian Manchester had been remotely like this, H.G. Wells never would have bothered to pen "The Time Machine" – he'd have just stepped outside and into the fray.

The New York Times by Janet Maslin

The film turns into a preposterous but engrossing spectacle, fueled by a resource more enduring than steam or its successors: big ideas.

The Hollywood Reporter by Richard James Havis

It's a roller-coaster action film that thunders along with top-notch set pieces and studiously researched period settings. The only letdown is that the focus on action drowns out any character development.

L.A. Weekly by Ella Taylor

The movie's true genius lies in the exquisite animation, a blend of hand-drawn and state-of-the-art digital technology that suggests an old world being bullied into a new one.

The A.V. Club by Tasha Robinson

Steamboy adds a touch of innocent wonder to the formula through Ray's eyes, resulting in Otomo's most human film to date, but humanity rarely seems to be among Otomo's priorities. His films seem far more concerned with the spectacle he manages like no one else in animation.

Village Voice by J. Hoberman

Steamboy doesn't have the deep melancholia or the visionary élan of last year's Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. Consistent in its graphic invention from first to last, however, it's a sensationally designed piece of work. (The retro stylistics are comparable to Brazil, David Lynch's Dune, and The Iron Giant.)

Los Angeles Times by Kevin Crust

A stunning-to-look-at film marred by a less than searing pace and some narrative incoherence.

Premiere by Aaron Hillis

Though Steamboy could have been smarter and more dramatically engineered, this razzle-dazzle ride won't disappoint if you just need to blow off a little you-know-what.

New York Post by Lou Lumenick

Gorgeously detailed animated adventure.

Chicago Reader by J.R. Jones

Visually commanding, conceptually beguiling, but dramatically inert.

Film Threat

Perhaps the key to understanding where Steamboy goes wrong is in understanding why Otomo's previous animated feature "Akira" was such a success.

TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh

The sci-fi wonders, including an army of shuddering robo-soldiers and one-man, steam-powered bombers with delicate wood-and-linen wings, are truly marvelous and go a long way toward making up for the film's erratic pacing.

Variety

Dry storytelling and boy's-toys mechanics will stop this from being the next "Spirited Away"-style crossover hit.