Corny but goodhearted, the film tries hard not to annoy parents, with animation more fizzy than frantic and nerdy references.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Chicago Reader by Andrea Gronvall
The lighting, production design, and character modeling are excellent, and director David Bowers (Flushed Away) references "Frankenstein," "Wall-E," "Transformers," and even Abraham and Isaac. But the TV series, primitive though it was, had a sweet innocence and joyfulness that made it more fun.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch by Joe Williams
It's zippy, and the movie version has both a computerized sheen and handcrafted detailing. Because the details are cribbed from classics, parents can enjoy this 'toon as much as their kids.
Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov
It's a totally serviceable reboot for young people who are just discovering the joys of manga, but I can't help but miss the raw animation and even rawer emotional aesthetics of Tezuka's original televised animé series.
The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen
Derivative bits aside, the pint-sized Japanese icon takes flight in vibrant CG animation -- no 3D glasses required.
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
A marvelously designed piece of cartoon kinetics.
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
The movie contains less of its interesting story and more action and battle scenes than I would have preferred.
The A.V. Club by Tasha Robinson
Older viewers are more likely to see a muddled film full of one-dimensional characters and insultingly strident politics.