Name Some Movies That Depict an Aircraft Fighting A Giant Robot

February 9, 2017 8:39 PM

When I say "giant robot", I'm thinking of robots roughly the size of the jaegers in Pacific Rim, around 100 - 200 ft. tall. Unicron (of the Transformers) is way too big. Partial credit for movies that have an aircraft fighting some other giant creature, such as King Kong or Godzilla. Go.
posted by cleverevans to Media & Arts (13 answers total)

Best answer: This happens in the Iron Giant. There is also some of this in Cloverfield, but no robot.
posted by cnc at 9:08 PM on February 9, 2017

The Imperial Walkers being attacked by aircraft (amongst other things) in The Empire Strikes Back. Not sure if they are considered robots or not....
posted by the webmistress at 9:10 PM on February 9, 2017

The intro to Pacific Rim has this (in "Aircraft vs. giant monster" form)
posted by CrystalDave at 9:37 PM on February 9, 2017

I don't think I'm exceeding the trailer in terms of revealing, but Star Wars: Rogue One has more of the same Imperial Walkers vs. aircraft, though aircraft of a different stripe than the snow-speeders of Empire Strikes Back
posted by Sunburnt at 9:40 PM on February 9, 2017

A product of the mockbuster factory known as The Asylum, "Atlantic Rim" also has aircraft vs. giant monsters, and flying giant robots vs. giant monsters, etc. as can be seen in the trailer.

Not sure if the robots are big enough for you, but I'm sure all the live-action Transformers qualify, especially considering that some of the Decepticons are aircraft when they're not giant robots.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:50 PM on February 9, 2017

Not sure if this is going to meet your needs at all, but 10 years ago it was pretty impressive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWBKSO4DvWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wfSHV4zYMw
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 11:13 PM on February 9, 2017

Independence Day 2 has, at the climax, Earth fighter jets fighting the alien queen who's a kind of giant alien mecha.
Godzilla (1998) has Apache helicopters and fighter jets attacking the monster.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:48 AM on February 10, 2017

To my great misery I only saw tiny bits of Endhiran (Robot), but it definitely had a scene with giant robot made of lots of human sized robots, taking on, among others, the shapes of a giant humanoid or serpent and fighting helicopters.
posted by Ashenmote at 3:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: This happens in the oft-maligned Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
posted by AzraelBrown at 4:13 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Totally not what you’re looking for, but technically in the category, is the capture of the cannibal giants using helicopters in “The BFG.”
posted by musicinmybrain at 6:16 AM on February 10, 2017

@Ashenmote

Your wish is my command.

Giant robot fighting stuff starts around 2:25:00
posted by JohnFromGR at 9:04 AM on February 10, 2017

A lot of scenes from Robotech/Macross involve (transformed) airplanes attacking (non-transforming) bipedal 'robots.'
posted by porpoise at 10:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The "Heisei" series of Godzilla films(mid 80's through late 90's) had elements of this in pretty much every film.

The Gamera Trilogy from the late 90's - early 2000's had this as well.
posted by Hanuman1960 at 11:15 AM on February 10, 2017