Ron’s done right.

We really are living in very special animated times right now. While the likes of Disney, Pixar, and Sony have been releasing some of their finest work of late, looking beyond these behemoths, the animation landscape is perhaps the healthiest it has ever been.

Whether it’s major players like Laika, veterans like Aardman, or newbie indies like Cartoon Saloon, it’s fair to say the animation world is riding pretty high at this moment in time. And now you can throw the name Locksmith Animation into this rich pool of talent.

Socially awkward and unable to make friends, Barney’s (Jack Dylan Grazer) social life finally looks on the up when he’s gifted Ron (Zach Galifianakis) - a walking, talking digitally-connected device intended to be his ‘best friend out of the box’ - for his birthday. However, when his new B-Bot buddy starts to malfunction, Barney is launched into an action-packed adventure and a journey of discovery into the wonderful messiness of true friendship.

Distributed by Twentieth Century Studios - and, by extension, Disney - Locksmith’s debut certainly has some serious studio weight behind it, yet it ultimately stands out as its own thing entirely. While it has one eye firmly on mainstream success, the studio have debuted with an infectious indie spirit and enough heart to thoroughly mark themselves out from the crowd.

Long story short - Ron’s Gone Wrong is an absolute blast. Sweet and terrifying in equal measure, the film manages to be utterly delightful while completely unafraid to make pertinent observations on our increasingly tech-reliant society and, specifically, its detrimental effect on young minds.

Very much in the same mould as The Mitchells vs the Machines, Ron’s Gone Wrong bursts with the same level of humour and personality, and while it’s lacking that film’s sharpness, its charm and delightful wit, all wrapped around a lovely message about friendship, is positively infectious.

Smartly written and with an exceptional voice cast, Ron’s Gone Wrong goes out of its way to avoid the easy route, taking its story to some unexpected, but nonetheless welcome, places. While much of the humour derives from the slapstick shenanigans of the titular B-Bot, the film certainly puts in the hard work to ensure the story offers something a little bit more than your average mainstream animation.

As such, Ron’s Gone Wrong has more than enough about it to appeal to young and old alike. With its constant high energy and lively colour palette likely to appeal to the younger audience members, while the snappy writing and emotional punch will keep everyone else invested, the film manages to get its tonal balance just right.

Animation-wise, Locksmith have got things spot on, and with the power of Disney behind them, the sky truly is the limit. The B-Bots themselves are an absolute genius creation and very effectively animated, with the creativity and cleverness of their design making the story pop.

Like a scaled-down Baymax, Ron himself is just so damn lovable. With a big portion of the film’s humour running through the little fella, his various glitches and malfunctions could easily have grown old fast, yet his delightful design and Zach Galifianakis’ charming voice work mean he’s just too damn adorable to dislike.

While Ron’s Gone Wrong isn’t strictly in the Disney canon, Ron sits more than comfortably alongside some of the studio’s most endearing characters, something their marketing team will no doubt know all too well. So yeah, prepare yourselves - and your wallets - for Ron to quickly become everyone’s new best friend!

Caught somewhere between E.T., Big Hero 6, The Mitchells vs the Machines, and The Iron Giant, there’s certainly an air or familiarity in Ron’s Gone Wrong’s story, however, the film transcends this with smart writing, sparky animation, and a huge upload of heart to stand out as its own thing entirely. Like its malfunctioning hero, Ron’s Gone Wrong may be a little shaky at times but its wit and personality shine through to offer the kind of friendship we could all do with right now.