Netflix, Hulu and Disney+’s libraries are littered with hundreds of failed animated family movies that quickly faded into obscurity: a reminder of just how hard it can be to stand out and succeed in the genre. But, every once in a while, a quirky animated family movie comes along that just feels different. “The Mitchells Vs The Machines” is one of those movies.
The family comedy, directed by Mike Rianda, stars a slew of famous voices. Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Blake Griffin, Conan O’Brien and other well-known figures are all part of the cast, and the confidence and commitment from the voice actors is what pushes the needle from just another quirky film into an instant classic.
The movie follows Katie Mitchell, a college freshman preparing to leave home for the first time.
When Katie wakes up, she finds that — in an attempt to repair their relationship — her dad has canceled her flight across the country, and planned a family road trip to drop her off at college.
Meanwhile, a startup CEO — who enjoys collecting user data and corporate overreach — decides to launch his newest invention of fully automated robots. Despite promises that they won’t “go rogue and try to take over the world,” they predictably do just that.
While on their trip, the Mitchells discover that they are the last humans on earth left uncaptured by rogue robots. Their dysfunctional family embarks on a mission that will literally determine the fate of the human race.
While the story of “humans save the earth from robots” isn’t exactly novel, it’s more of a backdrop for the real story being told — the repairing of the relationship between Katie and Rick.
The two aren’t so different, nor are the gaps between them that large — they just don’t understand one another. With smartphones and social media dominating the world, the gap between Gen Z and their Millennial parents can be huge, and the film does a great job speaking directly to both groups in a way that they each can understand.
“The Mitchells Vs The Machines” is more than a movie. It’s a therapy session for every family watching it together, which makes it something special — especially given how high tensions have been with families thrown together in close proximity due to COVID-19.
With that being said, it functions great as a movie as well. The comedy is on point, the dialogue is well written and the story is interesting enough to keep your attention. It does a great job of appealing to every age group, making it truly a family film for everyone.
