Cogs. Wheels. Engines. Vast clouds of steam. If you're besotted by any of the above then you'll have the hots for Steamboy, Katsuhiro Otomo's decade-in-the-making, Pete Waterman wet dream.
It's the story of Victorian lad Ray Steam (voiced by, erm, Anna Paquin), who receives a mysterious iron ball from his grandfather (Patrick Stewart) containing the solution to all the world's power problems. Of course, it's also a hideous weapon and there are people who will stop at nothing to steal it...
Steamboy looks stunning: images of 1851's Great Exhibition and the menacing Steam Castle are irresistible. Unfortunately, what could have been a joyful carnival becomes a gaggle of arguments about the pros and cons of science vs humanity. And somehow, amidst all the talk, there's too much action - leaving your head ringing with the sound of a million turbines.
