Mitchells vs the Machines Review written by the Ent on 4/30/2021 This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch
Movie: The Mitchells vs the Machines
Rating: PG
Genre: Family, Animated, Comedy, Action
Length: 1 hr. 53 mins.
Age suggested: 6 and up
Release Date: April 30th, 2021
Themes: Family relations, Finding purpose, Parental sacrifice, Technology
Warnings: Flashing images, mild cartoon violence
Quick Summary of The Mitchells vs the Machines
ROAD TRIP! The Mitchells are off on a road trip to drop off oldest daughter, Katie, at college. Problems include difficulty having genuine conversations with dad, trying to help little brother cope with her leaving, and a robot apocalypse. Now the Mitchells must learn how to communicate and work well with each other if they want to stand any chance taking down the new robot overlords.
The Mitchells vs the Machines Review
–Why Watch The Mitchells vs the Machines-
The Mitchells vs the Machines is a fun journey of animation explosion that will keep you glued to the movie the whole time. It is very visually engaging with the art style and also a ton of fun. The lessons within the movie are so relatable as Katie, the oldest daughter of the Mitchell family, is finding it difficult to find anything in common with her weird family. Things get escalated when Dad decides that rather than flying to college alone, Katie would join the whole family on a road trip to college. The family must learn the importance of communication and sacrifice as they face another large obstacle: the invasion of robots.
There is so much heart within this movie, but what makes this movie stand out so much is the comedy. It is filled with visual, clever, and unique comedy sprinkled throughout the entire film. This is what makes it so appealing to the entire family, from the little kids who like the simple visual to the adults who appreciate the heart while loving the clever in jokes. The Mitchells vs the Machines is simply a fun journey for the whole family!
Continue reading for more of our The Mitchells vs the Machines Review
-Is The Mitchells vs the Machines appropriate?-
There is a lot going on in the artistry of The Mitchells vs the Machines with lots of quick, flashing images. This could be overstimulating or triggering for some viewers. In normal animated fashion, there are some mildly violent sequences, all of which are aimed toward robots. Overall The Mitchells vs the Machines does not contain inappropriate or difficult subject matters or hurtful topics and can (and should) be watched by most people.
-Plot/Style-
This movie is such a perfect combination of plot-driven and character-driven stories. The four main characters in the Mitchell family all play a unique and pivotal role in the film. The art style in The Mitchells vs the Machines is immediately eye-grabbing and intriguing, even from the opening credits. This gripping style continues throughout as the artists seamlessly combine 2D and 3D animation to provide a dynamic world of feeling, emotion, and power. This is all added to by the voice cast who provide the perfect backup for the animators
Katie and Aaron are the kids and they are each dealing with their own issues. Katie is wanting to find acceptance outside of her family and Aaron is nervous about what will happen to him when his big sister goes to college. The parents, Rick and Linda, are dealing with their daughter taking interest in things they don’t understand while not wanting her to leave. These dynamics are consistently weaving in and out of the story as the Mitchells must fight the robot armies.
Continue reading for our Mitchells vs the Machines Discussion Questions
The Mitchells vs the Machines Discussion Questions
- How did technology affect the Mitchells prior to the apocalypse? What were the positives and what were the negatives?
- Do you think there is ever a chance for our phones or technology to take over the world? Why or why not?
- Which character did you relate to the most and why?
- What did the dad sacrifice for his family? How was this significant to Katie’s story?
- How would your family work together to take on the robot apocalypse?
Thanks for checking out our The Mitchells vs the Machines review. Before you go, check out these other posts:
-Other Family Friendly Netflix Suggestions
–Over the Moon: A little girl learns how to love and accept her step mom.
–The Willoughbys: A heavy movie (10+ age suggestion) that is very endearing about what family really is
-You can also check out the novelization of this movie here!
Down The Hobbit Hole Blog and this Mitchells vs the Machines Review post use affiliate links, we only link products we think you’ll like and you are never charged extra for them. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We also use cookies to gather analytics and present advertisements. This allows us to keep writing discussion questions and telling ridiculous dad jokes. Find our other reviews with discussion questions here. Our posts about faith here. And our posts about family stuff here.
Fantastic review! I just saw this film with my family and I LOVED it. We all did. Your review is spot on– the artistry is so captivating and powerful. The family’s weirdness was absolutely adorable and so funny. And, of course, we loved “dog… pig… bread!” Thank you for a great recap.