A.X.L. REVIEWED
“A.X.L.” is about a robot canine made for attack, logistics and exploration. They dropped the E from exploration because it wasn’t EXTREME ENOUGH! This feature is adapted from a short film that made the rounds a few years ago. If you haven’t seen it, you’re out of luck. I tried finding it on Google, but only discovered that America’s Youth has rekindled its love affair with W. Axl Rose.
Many earlier viewers were right in claiming that the film feels like a retread of Monster Trucks. Well, that film had heart and humor. This movie apes everything from D.A.R.Y.L. to Flight of the Navigator so hard that it borders on parody. That took a lot for me to take seriously, but I ended up enjoying A.X.L. as a comedy that every 6 year old boy will take as seriously as Shakespeare. Although, I don’t know what they will do with the forced romantic number.
If you see this in theaters, see it fast. Much like the far-better “Alpha”, this is an understated kid film that is coming out when most of the tykes are either returning to school or have been back for a week or two. When parents with young ones that would enjoy fare like this can’t be bothered to interrupt their schedules, then movies like this suffer. After all, your target audience is boys between the age of 6 to 10 years old. A deep August release puts the film up against soccer practice, school nights and parents just wanting their brats to wait until video.
That being said, it’s still a film about a robotic dog being a good boy and saving people. If robo Doggo movies do it for you, then you’ll have a fun night out. Otherwise, you’re probably going to be underwhelmed.
FILM STATS
- 1 hr and 40 mins
- PG
- Global Road Entertainment
