The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) – Review

If I had to describe this movie in just one word, for some reason I feel like spunky is a good one. The Mitchells vs. the Machines is an insanely chaotic adventure that is both intensely exciting and heartwarmingly profound. Who knew a movie about a dysfunctional family saving the world from robots could feel so relatable? The movie’s thoughtful storytelling is backed by some of the best, most vibrant animations I have ever seen in an animated film (it reminded me of Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) which producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller also worked on!). I am so sad that I did not watch this when it first released last year, but better late than never! I can confidently say that The Mitchells vs. the Machines is one of my top watches of 2022 so far and one of the best animated films I’ve ever seen.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines is arguably close to what I’d call a perfect movie. For all it’s craziness, it still managed to be a well crafted story that’s nicely complimented by fleshed out characters, dazzling visuals, and humour that’s actually funny. The first couple minutes immediately drew me in and there wasn’t a dull moment since. What really captured my attention right away was the art style – I could honestly dedicate this entire post on how fantastic the animation was if I wanted to.

It’s kind of hard to put my finger on how to describe the animation, but it almost feels as if the animators used two distinctly separate styles: one for the futuristic, modern look of the robots and one for the simple, homey feel of the Mitchell family. Either way, the animation looked absolutely incredible and there were so many moments where I was blown away. What I really loved was their choice in colour palette; I was surprised by the vibrancy and the vividness of the colours and how well the animators used colour to match the tone of a scene. It was skillful to say the least. I can only imagine how much work these extremely talented animators must’ve put in to achieve such stunning results. Major props to them.

A beautifully animated movie is nothing without a compelling story though, and this movie certainly checks off both boxes. It’s rare for me to say this, but I genuinely loved every single character in this movie. It truly felt like they all had a purpose and were designed to move the plot forward. Quick shout out to The Mitchells vs. the Machines cast (Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Olivia Coleman) for doing such a wonderful job in bringing these characters to life. Their expressive performances were definitely a big reason why these characters worked as well as they did.

The Mitchell family was such a lovable bunch and I felt every member made important contributions to the story. Katie was an unshakeable protagonist whose quirkiness and passion was endearing. Her awkward and often frustrating relationship with her equally quirky father, Rick, was a dynamic that felt all too familiar. The heart of the movie was mainly about their relationship and their struggle to see eye to eye. For many, I’m sure their problems were a relatable one. Their journey had a lot of ups and downs that led to some awfully uncomfortable truths and touching realizations, but all of it was in search of uncovering the unbreakable bond between father and daughter. Throw in an overly loving mother (in a good way), a dinosaur obsessed little brother (also in a good way), and an adorable pug that looks slightly like a cross between a pig and a loaf of bread, and you’ve got one of the best dysfunctional family dynamics you’ve ever seen.

What this movie really exceled at was making you feel things. After watching so many failed comedies lately (shout out to Me Time (2022), no offense), it made me realize how much I appreciated this animated comedy actually being…funny. Who knew comedies could make you laugh? But it wasn’t just the humour, the movie was also exceptionally good at making you feel sentimental. While I’m not going to say you’re going to cry while watching this movie, I’m just saying I certainly did. It’s relatability both when it came to family relationships and social commentary was definitely the highlight and what I truly loved about this film.

Yes, I know this is an exceptionally long review but I just have so many things to say about this movie (and I want to get in as many movie stills as I can!). Like how the commentary on technology and our intense obsession with the Internet screamed so many truths about our society (especially after just watching Not Okay (2022) the other day). I thought it was really cleverly done how the movie was also subtly about being more present in our day to day lives. Apparently it takes a whole robot invasion for us to really take this seriously. But really, remember to put your phone down every now and then and take the time to appreciate who you’re with.

Overall, it’s really just a roller coaster of emotions and I absolutely loved not knowing what was going to happen around each corner. The Mitchell vs. the Machines was great at keeping the viewers on their toes and surprising them with random memes and hilarious animations. The movie’s also surprisingly self-aware which really added to the comedy in the dialogue. But with so many twists and turns, I found myself unsure how the story was going to end – could this wild, disorganized family really save the world? Trust me, the ending is super satisfying and it wraps up the movie in a nice little bow. I don’t want to spoil anything for this one, so you just have to trust me!

After finishing the movie and thinking about what I just watched, I realized it shared a lot of similarities with Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) (which is another one of my top movies of the year). Both movies are so refreshing and original, they’re unlike anything I’ve seen before. As sci-fi comedies in their own right, each movie revealed heartfelt truths about the importance of family in a unique way. Not to mention both stories are wildly hectic and have amazing visuals. So I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you want a sure fire way to make it into my top movies list, apparently you just have to follow this formula.

I honestly can’t say enough about this movie, please go watch it. It made me feel so many different emotions, from happiness to disappointment to sadness, but best of all, I had a great time watching it. It’s a family friendly movie that’s sure to please everyone – you can watch it with friends, family, or alone and it’ll be a good experience regardless. There’s not a moment in the movie where you’ll feel bored or uninterested, and even if the plot goes a little dry for you (though I doubt it), you’ll still be wowed by the animations. It’s the whole package. I can hardly find a bad thing to say and because of that, I’m giving The Mitchells vs. the Machines a whopping 9.5/10. I just loved the free spirited nature of this film and its ability to fully embrace the wackiness of the situation. If you’ve stuck through this whole glowing review, then the correct course of action is for you to go straight to Netflix and stream it right now. This is definitely a movie I’m going to be recommending to everyone I know.