The Mitchells Vs The Machines: A Feel-Good Sci-Fi Adventure For The Whole Family
The Mitchells Vs The Machines marks the feature film debut of Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe (who wrote and directed the film together). Produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film marks another win for the duo, Sony Pictures Animation, and Netflix, delivering a sweet, heartfelt road film about technology, fitting in, and reconnection.
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
Ever since their debut Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have carved a name for themselves within the realm of animation. Although the duo are only producers on The Mitchells Vs The Machines (just as they were for 2019’s amazing Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse), the film is yet another showcase of their eye for talent and consistency for delivering creative content. Their fourth collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation finds steady, capable hands in the film’s co-directors Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe (who also collaborated on the script). The film mixes eye-popping animation with infectious energy and a whole lotta heart to create a feel-good romp teeming with adventure, style, and surprising depth.
The film centers around Katie Mitchell, a quirky, aspiring filmmaker, and her family of outcasts, consisting of her mother, Linda, her dinosaur-obsessed brother, Aaron, her nature-loving, technophobic dad, Rick, and the family’s walleyed pug, Monchi. Katie has always struggled to fit in, and she finds refuge in cinema and the art of moviemaking, amassing quite the prolific filmography of charming, DIY short films. Ecstatic to have finally found a place where she fits in, Katie counts down the days until she leaves for film school, a countdown that gets extended by her dad’s last-ditch attempt to reconnect with her before she drifts further away. What begins as a pretty typical road trip, quickly unravels into AI-driven apocalypse, masterminded by the vengeful, Siri-esque PAL, who seeks to rid the world of humankind.
Although it’s not wholly original, the film’s mash-up of dysfunctional family road trips (like National Lampoon’s Vacation and Little Miss Sunshine) and machine-driven apocalypses (like I, Robot, Tron, and The Terminator) is surprisingly effective. A lot of the film’s success is due to the Mitchells’ effortless relatability, both from the adolescent and parent perspective, and oozing pathos. All the characters are given the complexity they deserve, and you actively root for them to defeat our robot overlords and reconnect with one another. The script is very well-written. There are layers to the narrative that are a joy to peel back, and the whole affair is bolstered by the incisive satire that cleverly jabs at our pathetic reliance on technology.
The film’s style is bold, colorful, and bounding with energy. It’s not as groundbreaking as Spider-Verse, but the animation interestingly mixes 2D and 3D images together, which gives the visuals greater depth and more personality. Although it essentially mirrors the style of Katie’s short films, The Michells’ style occasionally becomes too hyperactive and bombastic, but luckily, these moments are far and few between. Some of the humor misses the mark, but a lot of it lands, particularly Olivia Coleman, who hits the comedic bullseye with her portrayal of PAL.
Overall, there’s more poignancy, depth, and emotion than you’d expect to find in an animated Netflix film. Some of its resolutions come a bit too easy, and it feels a skosh too long, but it manages to maintain interest for its entirety. Between its lovely visuals, charming characters, relatable story, terrific voice cast, clever social commentary, and Mark Mothersbaugh soundtrack, it’s nearly impossible to feel short-changed by The Mitchells Vs The Machines. Notable for balancing sentiment and silliness, this highly imaginative and energetic romp will warm your heart with its story about a disjointed family learning to connect again.
Recommendation: Definitely give The Michells Vs. The Machines a watch on Netflix! It’s easily one of the best animated films of the year.
Rating: 4.5 pugs outta 5.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!