← Back to results
Next Gen
2018 105 min Canada, China, United States of America PG 6+
★7.1
Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction
Director: Kevin R. Adams, Joe Ksander
Trailers
Description
A friendship with a top-secret robot turns a lonely girl's life into a thrilling adventure as they take on bullies, evil bots and a scheming madman.
Budget:
$22M
Starring
John Krasinski
Actor
Charlyne Yi
Actor
Jason Sudeikis
Actor
Awards
1 win & 5 nominations total
Key opinion
Next Gen is a visually striking animation that evokes strong debate regarding its narrative originality and tone. While many viewers praise its emotional heart and the bond between the protagonist and the robot, others criticize it for relying on predictable genre tropes and struggling with inconsistent pacing and character likability.
| animation | The film delivers high-quality, vibrant animation and a stylish visual aesthetic that is consistently praised across reviews. | |
| Emotion | The central relationship between the rebellious teenager May and the emotional robot 7723 serves as a poignant, effective core that resonates with many viewers. | |
| Originality | The plot leans heavily on established science-fiction archetypes, with multiple reviewers identifying it as a derivative work that mimics the structure and tropes of films like Big Hero 6 and I, Robot. | |
| Acting | The protagonist's aggressive personality and inconsistent behavioral shifts divide audiences, with some finding her arc moving and others viewing her as unsympathetic or irritating. | |
| Accessibility | The film's tone creates a conflict between its family-friendly marketing and its inclusion of intense violence and chaotic anarchy, leading to disagreements over its appropriate target audience. | |
| Pacing | The pacing and narrative structure are frequently criticized for feeling rushed or uneven, with some viewers noting an over-emphasis on world-building that compromises character development. |