Pixar, the king of computer-animated features, decided adorable robots and superhero families appeal to children. And they were right. But the Weinstein Company took a different direction for Igor and thought children would respond well to mad science and jokes about murder.
Jumping from American Dad! to the silver screen, writer Chris McKenna peppers the film with morbid bits about brainwashing and blind orphans. It’s a valiant effort with an ambitious concept, but tonally, Igor just implodes.
In the nightmarish comedy directed by Tony Leondis (Lilo and Stitch 2), John Cusack (War, Inc.) voices Igor. The hunchbacked, downtrodden lab assistant, despite coming from a race of servants, aspires to be the best evil scientist in the twisted land of Malaria. After his master is blown up in an experiment, Igor decides to take his chance and compete in the annual Evil Science Fair. He goes in pretty optimistically with an invention only God can compete with: life.
However, he soon realizes his plan for an intelligent and deadly monster has gone awry. Instead, he ends up with a giant, gentle-hearted Betty Boop look-alike.
Igor enlists the help of his two friends, a cynical rodent named Scamper (Steve Buscemi, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry) and an encased brain (Sean Hayes, Will & Grace) that is (ironically) very stupid. Meanwhile, the evil and scheming Dr. Schadenfreude (Eddie Izzard, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) attempts to steal Igor’s monster, thinking it is the destructive invention Igor intended.
Taking a page from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, the film’s production design is scattered with stitched faces and ghoulish characters. In Malaria, the sun doesn’t shine, and everyone is encouraged to be evil. Kudos to the filmmakers for choosing a setting not littered with wide-eyed animals and the normal, pandering kiddie fare.
But the film’s creativity extends only about as far as its premise, and falls short in its reliance on cliché characters. The movie’s protagonist is especially typical – as an underdog with a can-do attitude, self-deprecating to a fault.
And while the circumstantial comedy is certainly inventive, it really isn’t very funny. Igor seems hesitant to decide whether it’s a smart, dark satire or another silly ride. Punchy one-liners and ironic situations – with Buscemi’s character gerring the especialy clever lines -but never go belly-deep. Buscemi’s character gets the especially clever lines. More times than not, though, laughing cues would have been helpful.
While most animated films contain humor that appeals simulataneously to adults and kids, Igor swings back and forth. Jokes about severed arms and James Lipton references sit side by side with typical physical and bathroom humor. With a little more consistency, Igor could have been a far more enjoyable rift on the Frankenstein legacy.
Although the characters aren’t terribly engaging, Igor is very well cast. Cusack is a good fit for an underdog protagonist, and although it may be a terrible thing to say, Buscemi is a perfect choice for a sarcastic, jittery, bug-eyed rodent. Even contained in studio sound booths, the chemistry shines through between the two seasoned actors. Their comedic flare is dimmed only by the dour setting.
The movie’s overall concept is both its greatest strength and greatest weakness. Igor’s oddities and surprises are able to keep its audience interested. But in attempting to captivate both adults and kids, Igor fails to keep either fully enthralled. Too dark and sinister for youngsters and not intelligent enough for adults, the film never gets a true sense for who it wants to please most. Despite a strong cast and ample sarcasm, Igor slips into mediocrity – a promising invention gone wrong.
It’s (almost) alive.
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