August 15, 1999 -- "The Iron Giant" is one of the better non-Disney family animated features to come out in years, with engaging characters and a solid story line.

The story concerns a young boy, Hogarth Hughes (voice by Eli Marienthal) who discovers a giant robot who eats iron. The robot is like a child, it has a bump on its head and cannot remember its past. It befriends the boy. A government agent, Kent Mansley (voice by Christopher McDonald), comes sniffing around and Hogarth decides to hide the robot, aided by his friend, Dean McCoppin (voice by Harry Connick Jr.)

Hogarth gradually teaches the robot to speak and convinces the robot it can be a super hero like Superman, that it can choose its own destiny and be a force for good. The federal government has other plans, however, and when the robot is attacked by armed forces it must choose very carefully how it will respond to the threat.

The film develops its central characters very well, especially Hogarth and Dean McCoppin. The federal agent, Kent Mansley, is so overwhelmingly evil, however, that he is almost a parody. The robot is an interesting character with a development from being childlike to full self-realization.

The art work is competent, and there are some stunning scenes. One in particular stands out: The robot striding alone through falling snow. It was a hauntingly beautiful scene. I thought the ending was a bit of a cop-out, but the film sure has its heart in the right place. This film rates a B.

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