Smash and Grab: Absolutely Adorable

Smash and Grab Is A Wonderful Little Sci-Fi Movie

Smash and Grab is adorable, heartwarming, and incredible for how short it is. This is the second Pixar SparkShorts I’ve ever reviewed, and once again, the quality is evident. This is better than some whole-length movies.

It’s also an interesting double feature for me, given I just reviewed a different piece of media about a robot character. It’s endlessly fascinating how different artists use the same types of methods to make the viewer quickly form an attachment. Watching Grab do a little excited dance is one of many moments that cements them as an empathetic character. If you are a writer, filmmaker, or even actor, it’s worth studying Smash and Grab.

And it’s not just that the methods work in this movie; they work to an almost dramatic degree. I was distraught when I thought one of them was hurt. I was instantly rooting for them to achieve their goals. There were audible reactions from me.

It Is Impossible Not To Get Attached To The Robots

It also helps that Smash and Grab is a nicely animated little movie with very cute robot designs. The backgrounds and action scenes aren’t going to leave you in awe or anything, either on their designs or creativity, but there are nice little details on the metal hulls, on the motion of the trains—just the right level to show love and care went into this.

That said, there is one error that I’m shocked happened in Smash and Grab. It’s not even a subjective thing like a lot of my criticisms. It’s a full-on continuity error. There’s a stack of rocks in a spot, and then it disappears when we cut back. Animation is super difficult—certainly, I don’t have the skill to do it—but with such a short time frame, it’s very noticeable.

But don’t let that deter you from watching Smash and Grab. This is such a strong short film with so much personality. I love these little robots and would gladly watch more of them.

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