2021 has been graced with a number of quality animated films thus far. Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, Sony’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Netflix’s Vivo are only a few of the sweet features that have been released to either the big screen or streaming platforms. Following these films now is 20th Century Studios’ Ron’s Gone Wrong, a futuristic tale that centers on a diminutive robot. Ahead of the movie’s release later this month, its review embargo has lifted, and critics are sharing their thoughts. So what are they saying?
The animated flick takes place in the future, in which kids befriend advanced (and admittedly adorable) machines called B-bots. A young boy named Barney is at the center of the story, as he receives a bot named Ron, who doesn’t work as well as his manufacturers probably intended. CinemaBlend’s own Sarah El-Mahmoud thinks the film is sweet and succeeds in getting its message across. However, she doesn’t find it to be essential viewing, ultimately giving it a three-star score:
Its sweetness and well-intentioned message prevails during its viewing, but otherwise it’s just an OK and rather forgettable animated film.
Variety seemed to be a bit higher on the debut flick from Locksmith Animation. The trade positively likened the film to a certain classic ‘80s flick that focuses on a lovable robot. The critic also had plenty of praise for Zach Galifianakis, who plays the quirky Ron to Jack Dylan Grazer’s Barney:
With plenty of fun bonding scenes between the boy and his bot, ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ plays a lot like an update on ’80s hit ‘Short Circuit,’ wherein Galifianakis’ oblivious, no-filter shtick proves an ideal match for an A.I. missing 98% of its code.
With its release, the movie does have to follow some stiff competition, specifically the aforementioned Mitchells vs. The Machines. Both CB and IndieWire are only a few of the outlets to make the comparisons. However, the former site believes that audiences should still go see the film. The critic admits that it doesn’t reach the heights of the Phil Lord and Chris Miller-produced comedy, it still has enough charm of its own:
Don’t let that stop you from watching this film, however, because even without experimental visuals, this film packs enough heart and ideas about the social connections and friendship in the Extremely Online era to become a fun film for the whole family.
One of the commonalities of all of these reviews is the mention of the film’s heart. Deadline also commended the film for forgoing any cynical examination of social media culture. In addition, the trade also noted the deft combination of over-the-top and grounded elements in the movie:
An endearing mix of earthy values and sci-fi concepts, it takes a cynical swipe at social media culture while delivering characters to care about.
Based on these reviews, it would seem that the movie manages to make a nice place for itself, despite not quite stacking up to some of its predecessors. Still, one would think that kids will have fun with this futuristic romp.
Ron’s Gone Wrong hits theaters on October 22.