a_chinn 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.

MartinHafer "The Invisible Boy" is one of the stranger films of the 1950s. It's an odd combination of a kids' film, sci-fi and horror! When the film begins, Dr. Merrinoe (Philip Abbott) lamenting that his son, Timmie, isn't of the intellectual caliber he wished he was. But Timmie certainly is about to surprise his overly intellectual dad! It seems that when Timmie is playing around his father's super-computer, the machine decides to help boost the kid intellectually. Soon, Timmie is a little genius and doing all sorts of impossible things...including assembling the robot, Robbie. He and Robbie have some rousing adventures and the film seems very much a kids' film at this point. However, nefarious things are lurking ahead, as the computer is super-evil and has plans for the robot...and that's why he got the kid to assemble it. The computer ALSO has plans...for global domination!!!This is a dated, old fashioned film that STILL is quite entertaining and fun. It is a strange combination of dark sci-fi and kids' sci-fi...but it somehow works.By the way, it WAS pretty funny in one scene, as a room of great intellects were meeting and Timmie (who was now invisible) sneaks in and plays pranks on them. One of these 'great minds' is played by Alvy Moore--the same guy who later was a regular on "Green Acres" and played the stupidest of all the characters...and that was no small feat!!!

bkoganbing I did kind of like the idea of this fantasy film about the dreams of a young boy. Remembering that this is all a dream, dreams can and are often quite illogical more so even for children. Invisibility has some awesome possibilities including getting even with a bully and also learning the facts of life.Young Richard Eyer is an average kid who would like to have his dad play catch with him some time. But Phillip Abbott is one of the most important scientists and he's got the nation's security in his hands. His mother Diane Brewster isn't too much better.Abbott works with a giant super computer, something along the lines of what Spencer Tracy is trying to install and maintain in Desk Set. In a bring your kid to work day he exposes Eyer to the super brain and the it's like the kid took the Krel test. He even puts together Robby The Robot and they become the best of friends. Like Will Robinson and his robot.After that it's hoping the giant superbrain doesn't take us all over.The Invisible Boy somewhere got lost between a kid's film and a message against globalization. It's like several people created this film and all got a piece of a message they wanted to put out.Some of the scenes between Eyer and the robot were charming, but the incoherency of the story defeats the entertainment value The Invisible Boy has.

verbusen The Invisible Boy is an entry of sort in the long list of "Invisible" movies this being one of a boy, Timmy. Timmy gets to be a grand daredevil in this movie, flying in a huge kite that takes him among the clouds, almost falling to his death several times, going into outer space, having his own robot "Robbie" who seems to have all the same powers and intellect that he had in Forbidden Planet, and lastly becoming invisible! Whew, thats a lot of stuff to happen to one 10 year old in one movie but they manage to pack it all in within the first third to half (except the space part). So what happens after the first third to half? a long drawn out non Timmy picture that is worth fast forwarding and must have put the kiddies to sleep for sure who saw this in the Saturday matinée in the theaters. The ending is pretty cool along with the first half and we get to see Robbie take on a "rocket patrol" of heavily armed air force ground troops who try to stop Robbie using rifles, machine guns, bazooka's, recoil-less artillery and flame throwers (that was very cool to watch)! The dialog used by the scientists elevate this past strictly being a children's picture to one that sci fi fans, and of course all robot fans (who isn't a robot fan?), will enjoy seeing. If your tuning for the invisible factor you wont like it as the invisible bits are played for the typical invisible yucks you've seen in movies along the way of a 3 Stooges or Abbott and Costello movie and after seeing those jokes it's not funny anymore, luckily the invisible stuff lasts less then a third of the movie. I give it an elevated 7 of 10 because it's a curiosity sci fi movie, not because it's particularly all that great. Worth it to see Robbie and Timmy get into world domination troubles though!