An interesting thing “BigBug” does is incorporate multiple generations of technological advancements. While the visuals of the varying robots seem inconsistent on the surface, it’s actually a brilliant, futuristic version of our current existence where some folks are desperately chasing the latest version of whatever Apple is putting out, while some oldheads are perfectly happy with their flip phones. My personal favorite is Einstein (André Dussollier), who looks like the cursed polygamous lovechild of Rosey from “The Jetsons,” Crow T. Robot from “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” and the T-1000 exoskeleton from “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” There’s also Monique (Claude Perro), who is a retro-futuristic take on companion robots, not unlike Grace in “The Umbrella Academy.”
The various robots provide not just a diverse, interesting aesthetic to play with as opposed to the stale uniformity of most robot uprising films, but also help to emphasize the story at hand. “BigBug” isn’t just about robots seeking vengeance, it’s also a takedown of the ways upper-middle-class people are too obsessed with opulence and privilege to remember what it means to be human. By using a variety of robots, it’s a sign that this isn’t a new thing. People have been growing more and more distant from human connectivity with every passing year, despite society consistently blaming whatever the youngest generation is at the time as a means to absolve ourselves from our own participation. The 2045 setting is only a few years away, meaning the elders of the household in the film would have been alive to remember using AOL Instant Messenger.