More Than Robots – Documentary Review
89 Minutes, Not Rated
Directed by Gillian Jacobs
**NOTE: this post will be updated with audio once we actually have the chance to talk about it. Until then, enjoy this brief look at my thoughts. Stay tuned.**
Synopsis:
More Than Robots follows four teams of teenagers from around the world as they prepare for the 2020 FIRST® Robotics Competition. Get to know teams from Los Angeles, Mexico City and Chiba, Japan as they work towards the goal of taking their unique designs all the way to the highly competitive global championships. Although they are faced with overcoming challenges along the way, such as having limited resources within their community or putting everything on hold because of a world-wide pandemic, the kids persevere and learn that there is a lot more to the competition than just robots.
First off, what a great documentary this is. The story of the FIRST STEM robotics event (https://www.firstinspires.org/), which brings together teams of 14-18 year-olds from around the world in a “co-opetition” (a port-manteau of “competition” and “cooperation”), these teams must not only compete singularly, but also work together in alliances in order to move forward, helping each other to advance.
Each team, and by extension their alliances, must design and construct a robot capable of performing a specific set of tasks in order to accumulate enough points to win each round.
Make no mistake, this is not a “Robot Battle to the Death,” either; this is an annual exercise in advanced–and creative!–problem-solving. Pick up things, move things, place things, while sometimes recognizing that part of the process is preventing your opponent from accomplishing these same tasks.
The film focuses on a few different individuals and their teams, highlighting their histories with the event, and we get to watch/learn what drives each of them.
But it’s not just about the robots, as the organizers also stress community involvement, and teams which can impress the organizers enough with their efforts, which may have nothing to do with robotics at all (but it probably doesn’t hurt) can also move forward in the competition.
I don’t want to blather on and on about this one, because the most important thing I can say about it is that it’s just a good, solid film that everyone should be able to enjoy.
Even better if you have a kid into STEM or some aspect thereof (building, coding, etc.). The whole family might discover a way to encourage that kind of personal/educational/professional development.
Please; check it out.
More Than Robots will premiere exclusively on Disney+ starting March 18.
And please, if you like what we do, consider helping us keep on entertaining you. You can use this handy link:
Or, you could check out the merch in Our Store:
VSMP Merch Store
Not only will you be helping us out if you pick up some merch, you get cool stuff to wear around (including the coveted WTFWT? logo!).
tags: