“Robots” is the latest in CGI offerings from the creators of “Ice Age.”

It takes place in two settings: Rivet Town and Robot City. Between these two amazing settings, robots play large roles in every aspect of day-to-day life. Thus, everything from a trash can to a fire hydrant has a distinctive look and personality. Combined with strong voice work and impressive animation, “Robots” was poised to be a winner, but unfortunately, the movie lacks a strong plot.

To be fair, the movie does have a good plot, but somehow it manages to lose this plot in the rag-tag course of the narrative. In the small, idyllic and mechanized Rivet Town, a young robot named Rodney (Ewan McGregor) dreams of becoming an inventor. When one of his inventions nearly costs his father his job, Rodney tearfully moves away, seeking to fulfill his dream in Robot City.

At this point, the plot is actually rather good, especially within the wonderfully detailed world of “Robots.” The moment Rodney steps off the train he runs straight into the crazy Fender (Robin Williams) and his motley crew of scavenging robots.

Sure, Robin Williams as an insane and rambling animated character isn’t exactly a stretch, but his colorful crew of characters add flavor to the film. Also, Rodney’s head-on collision with the real world (or as real as it gets in an animated film) still provides an emotional core to the film.

Unfortunately, when the film calls for conflict, the plot takes a nose dive. As it turns out, Rodney’s childhood idol Mr. Big Weld (Mel Brooks) has been usurped by a corporate goon named Rachet (Greg Kinnear) and his malevolent mother. Aside from his fixation with his mother, Rachet is extremely unoriginal and lacks any real character depth.

Another character to come from this corporate setting is Cappy (Halle Berry), who serves as Rodney’s obligatory love interest. While her streamlined character design does well contrasting the rickety exteriors of Rodney and his comrades, very little motivation is given to Cappy. Why she is helping Rodney at the possible cost of her job and her life is never fully covered by the script, and her relationship with Rodney seems tacky and random.

“Robots” isn’t a bad movie, and its impressive visuals and character designs make it a good movie to watch on the big screen – at least with the kids. But beyond the family value, “Robots” is an above-average rental. The film’s animation is dazzling and amazing, and the fully-realized world is intriguing and absorbing. “Robots” is fast-paced and funny, but it really doesn’t compare to other films in the genre, such as “The Incredibles,” “Shrek” or even “Shark Tale.”

In the end, “Robots” looks great, but still suffers from a few rusty gears.