The Invisible Boy (1957)

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

A 10-year old boy builds a robot, none other than Robbie the Robot (the studio spent a fortune building it for "Forbidden Planet" and wanted to use the robot again), who, at the boy's request, turns him invisible. The boy at first uses his powers for silly pranks, but later must use his power of invisibility to defeat a supercomputer gone bad (Skynet anyone?). "The Invisible Boy" is clearly aimed a children and is diverting enough of escapist fun, but getting to see Robbie the Robot is the real highlight of the film.

This film remains of interest to sci-fi fans because of its reputation as the "other" Robby The Robot film, though forever in the shadow of the classic "Forbidden Planet" which gave Robby his impressive debut.But although it gives Robby plenty of involvement, there's really very little to recommend it. I found the film exceedingly dull throughout, the only sequence that rises above the general tedium is that towards the end when Robby single-handedly engages a battalion (I pitied the poor actor in the Robby suit when all those explosions were going off right next to him).The plot has some credible ideas, including its central premise of a super computer looking to usurp the human race as the dominant life form on Earth, but just meanders, and the boy turning invisible is a superfluous plot device to give the film some comedy - except that it really isn't very funny.This isn't a cheap film; although lacking the colour of its more famous cousin, it looks quite polished with decent sets, acting, direction and (on the whole) special effects but it just lacks punch. And it can't seem to decide whether it's a light-hearted comic tale for kids, or a more dramatic sci-fi horror for an older audience: it's both, and yet it's neither. What audience was this film pitched at? The kids will find the serious stuff too technical and boring, the adults will find the film lacking depth with too much time devoted to the more whimsical elements.Overall, "Forbidden Planet" fans may enjoy seeing this as a curio, but other viewers may find themselves switching off before the end.

While watching the opening credits, all the actors in the film were unknown to me, all except for the last name shown, Robby the Robot. Upon seeing Robby's name, I knew I was going to have an enjoyable evening of home video watching. I am a big fan of Robby, he has to be one of the few film props with his own IMDb page and numerous credits to his name. Robby's co-star, Richard Eyer, plays the part of Timmie Merrinoe, a ten year old boy, the only child of Dr. Tom and Mary Merrinoe, played by Phillip Abbott and Dianne Brewster respectively. This film is set in the paranoia of the cold war as Dr. Tom Merrinoe's work involves using a super computer to monitor the nuclear activity of the Soviet Union. While hanging out in his father's computer lab, the Super Computer manages to make Timmie super smart, and then has Timmie put Robby together from a pile of robot parts. The Super Computer is actually evil and has plans of world domination, which is why he took control of Timmie as the Super Computer needs Robby the Robot do his evil bidding. Little Timmie eventually develops the ability to become invisible with aid of Robby and the Super Computer. As one might expect Timmie has fun with his invisibility by playing tricks until his Parent's discover the truth about their son's new ability, sending him to his room. The main purpose of Timmie becoming invisible was to show off invisible gags and have a cool name for the film, it really wasn't germane to the central theme of an evil computer taking over the world. The Super Computer eventually has Robby hold Timmie hostage in order to get Timmie's Father and the government to do his bidding. When the Super Computer tells Robby to destroy Timmie, he can not and turns on the Super Computer. All ends well at the end as Robby joins the nuclear family of Timmie and his Parent's with Timmie once again among the visible. As silly as the premise of the film is and probably was, it is still good clean fun, and it is a film the entire family can watch. The props and special effects incorporated in this film were typical of a Sci-Fi B movie of this time period, with Robby of course was the coolest of them. The corny simplicity of this film is what I liked best beside Robby. This film is fun, just don't take it too seriously.

Human players take a rightful backseat to incredible Robby the Robot, first introduced in 1956's "Forbidden Planet". Scene-stealing Robby is cast as a mechanical playmate to Richard Eyer's young Timmie, but soon begins receiving diabolical orders from a power-crazed computer. Long outdated science-fiction nonsense will astound contemporary viewers with its naiveté. Some see it as camp, some give it cult value. Production values just OK, dialogue and scenario wooden. If it weren't for Robby (and the film's dynamic advertising campaign--which matches nothing in the finished product), the film would not be remembered fondly today--if at all. *1/2 from ****