...non-kids may not find a lot to really love about it. This may be irrelevant, however.
Igor (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:85
Fresh:30
Rotten:55
Average Rating:4.8/10
Consensus: With an animation style that apes Tim Burton, and a slew of cultural references that aren't clear enough to reach the crowds, Igor's patched together antics make it hard to see who the film is trying to please.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild language.
Runtime: 87 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Sep 19, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $19,420,496
Synopsis:
In a land of mad scientists and diabolical inventions, what do you do when you’re born with a hunch on your back?
You become an Igor.
A hilarious twist on the classic monster movie, "Igor"...
In a land of mad scientists and diabolical inventions, what do you do when you’re born with a hunch on your back?
You become an Igor.
A hilarious twist on the classic monster movie, "Igor" tells the story of one Igor who's sick of being a lowly lab assistant with a Yes Master's degree and dreams of becoming a scientist. When his cruel master kicks the bucket a week before the annual Evil Science Fair, Igor finally gets his chance.
With the help of two of his experimental creations - Brain, a brain in a jar who's a little light on brains, and Scamper, a cynical bunny brought back from being road kill, Igor embarks on building the most evil invention of all time, a huge, ferocious monster. Unfortunately, instead of turning out evil, the monster turns out as Eva, a giant aspiring actress who wouldn't hurt a fly.
Just when the load on his back can't get any heavier, Igor and his band of monstrous misfits uncover an evil plot that threatens their world. Now, they must fight to save it and prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Featuring the voice talents of John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, James Lipton, Molly Shannon and Christian Slater, "Igor" is the must-see family comedy of the fall.
Igor is directed by award-winning animation veteran Tony Leondis (Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch) and written by Chris McKenna ("American Dad!"). Exodus Film Group CEO John D. Eraklis produces along with seasoned animation executive and Exodus president Max Howard who has collaborated on such animated blockbusters as Disney's Lion King and Aladdin, and Warner Bros.' Space Jam and The Iron Giant. --© MGM
Starring: John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge
Starring: John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, James Lipton, Molly Shannon, Christian Slater
Director: Tony Leondis
Director: Tony Leondis
Screenwriter: Chris McKenna
Producer: John D. Eraklis, Max Howard
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Studio: MGM
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Release:
Jan 20, 2009
Reviews for Igor
[Y]oung viewers [who] like a mix of slapstick and watered down scares they'll have a fine time. Adults will be left rolling their eyes and checking their watches.
There's scant reward for sitting through Igor, an animated twist on the Frankenstein story that never sparks to life.
A Frankensteinian mishmash of parts, with drawings that are derived from Tim Burton grafted onto a script filled with Shrek-style sarcasm.
... a haphazard collection of spare movie parts cobbled together in a pale imitation of better-animated comedies.
Director Anthony Leondis peppers his tale with a host of leaden cinematic references children will almost surely miss, which is just as well since virtually every film-related gag directed at adults feels like a pitiful attempt at knowing cleverness.
Some of the nasty jokes may seem shocking with young ones around, but they'll keep adults awake through the utterly, painfully familiar three-act snoozefest.
While this is no WALL·E, or Ratatouille, it does bring to mind Monsters, Inc. and some of the visual flair of Burton's The Corpse Bride.
Even the desolate future envisioned in this summer's hit Wall-E has more immediate appeal for kids who might not be familiar with the source material for Igor.
While the stitches holding together the plot are clearly visible, Igor breathes some enjoyable life into its stolen grab-bag of gimmicks.
Igor has charm but misses a grand opportunity to evoke the world of James Whale when it would rather crib blatantly from Tim Burton.
Director Tony Leondis and screenwriter Chris McKennna have mined everything from Young Frankenstein to Sleepy Hollow to Japanese anime to the German Neo-Expressionists to create that rare thing, a cartoon for adults.
Igor tries to spoof Mary Shelley just as Shrek did the Brothers Grimm, but something tells us this movie's charmless hero won't make an ogre-size impression on kid audiences. Call it a hunch.
There's enough good stuff here that a better 'toon could have been stitched together from the many promising funny parts.
A potentially original premise and an eager voice cast led by John Cusack and Molly Shannon are left to decay amid a clunky story vaguely reminiscent of Monsters, Inc. and images often resembling visuals rejected from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
Latest News for Igor
September 22, 2008:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Jackson Debuts Ahead of the Race
Movies were serious business this weekend with drama, Lakeview Terrace, heading the box office hands down while comedies My Best Friend's Girl, Igor, and Ghost Town trail... More...
September 18, 2008:
Critics Consensus: Lakeview Terrace Isn't Sturdy; Igor Lacks Brains
This week at the movies, we've got an angry cop (Lakeview Terrace, starring Samuel L. Jackson); a disgruntled hunchback (the CGI Igor with voice work by John Cusack and Molly... More...
September 18, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Sam and Dane Face Off With New Pics
Another four-pack of films heads into the multiplexes on Friday only this time there are some choices for the under-25 set. Leading the way are the Samuel L. Jackson cop film... More...
September 11, 2008:
The artwork isn't particularly inspiring . . . ![]()
More...
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