Directed by David Bowers. Voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Samuel L Jackson, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Charlize Theron (narrator) PG cert, gen release, 94 min

HERE IS a movie that really shouldn't work. Retooling an ancient Japanese manga, David Bowers, part of the team behind Flushed Away, has attempted to combine the metaphysical ponderings of Steven Spielberg's AI Artificial Intelligencewith the cheap and cheerful yucks of Saturday morning cartoons.

Well, what do you know? Though the animation is unsophisticated, Astro Boyis funny throughout and at times even a little moving. Actually, come to think of it, Astro Boymight be a little better than AI(not saying much, I grant you).

The story begins with a scientist, citizen of a floating post-apocalyptic metropolis, unveiling a mighty weapon for his sinister overlords. During the demonstration the boffin’s son is killed. Armed with just a strand of hair, the scientist subsequently devotes himself to producing a semi-mechanical clone of the late tyke. Sadly, Astro Boy – though bright, shiny and equipped with jets in his heels – doesn’t win his creator over and finds himself cast out into the rubbish-strewn wilderness.

The film has none of the hyper-realism of a Pixar product. But, with limited resources, the animators nicely conjure up the optimistic, rocket-shaped futurism of the 1950s. Kids should enjoy

the frequent bangs and wallops while their parents lap up the unexpectedly well-modulated comic turns (delivered by a stellar vocal cast).

Somehow, despite 20 years elapsing since the fall of the Soviet Union, the inclusion of a pair of communist robots – hilarious in their disorganised, bedsit naivety – still feels just the tiniest bit subversive. You didn't get that in AI.