Hey, hey, I'm back! Who knows for how long. Too much of me is too much of a good thing in my opinion...
Hey, hey, I'm back! Who knows for how long. Too much of me is too much of a good thing in my opinion. And that's what it's all about - opinions!
Member since:02.08.2000
Reviews:79
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For once, I came out of a cinema not really knowing what to think about what I had just seen. Was it a flawed work of genius, a towering masterpiece, an all-time turkey bigger than the inhabitants of a certain island populated by Speilberg's creations? All of these views have been offered up so far and it's hard to argue with any of them. This really is a film you HAVE to see yourself just so you can join in all the fun arguing about it!
As most people know, this film started out as a pet project of Stanley Kubrick, a respected director (over-rated in my opinion) and good friend of Mr. Speilberg. He had been trying to complete it for over 20 years but had been waiting on modern special effects to catch up in order to make the movie believable (you'll understand why when you see it.) He was on the verge of making it his next film when he died. Apparently, one of his last wishes was that his friend complete it.
It seems like an odd pairing, the cold and detached Kubrick and the touchy-feely over-sentimental Speilberg. But when you consider the themes of the movie you begin to think that perhaps these are the two PERFECT individuals to collaborate on such a movie. It's all about a robot you see, only this one is different. Perfect looking robots have been serving the human race for some time, in the period when the movie is set, but now they have created one, a young boy, who can be imprinted to have 'real love' for his Mommy. The real challenge, one of the creators asks at the beginning of the movie, is whether they can make a robot that a human could really love. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
You really can't give away too much of the plot without spoiling your enjoyment which is a shame because there are lots of things I'd
like to discuss, but I REALLY would advise that you go see it with as few preconceptions as possible. The few bits and pieces I give away in my evaluation don't reveal too much. (If you really want a complete rundown of the plot, read Shanedown's op.)
The plot is based on the Brian Aldiss short story, "Supertoys Last All Summer Long", but I'm not sure how loosely based it is. The only thing I could remember from the story, which I read a long, LONG, time ago, was the teddy bear. Imaginatively named Teddy, it is the real star of the movie for me, a walking, talking, and apparently thinking, robot teddy that interacts with real people. Very cute and very smart, if this movie really is Pinocchio then this character is Jiminy Cricket.
Unfortunately, when Speilberg took over he decided to re-write the entire script himself, the first time he has done so since Close Encounters. As good a director as he is, he's certainly no writer and he fails to develop the story in a logical and cohesive manner, jumping from one location to another (after seemingly getting stuck in one for ever) and never knowing when to end the movie. It probably has about three natural end points but just keeps running on and on, contributing to the excessive running time of 2 hours 25 minutes. The dialogue is terribly clunky and unnatural, even the humans, and you keep wanting to scream at the characters, Why don't you just (insert logical action) and everything will be okay? The confusion does mean that there is plenty to argue about (are they aliens or mechas?) but you can't help feeling that this was by accident rather than planned, and it does leave you a little frustrated by the end of it.
The acting is very good, dependent upon the amount of room each character is given to breathe. Osment is tremendous as the robot child, chillingly convincing, but ultimately failed to make me 'love' him. But is that my failing or his or just the director's? Jude Law's part is smaller than I imagined [sighs, as he realises the nature of the character] but he does his best in the allotted time to make an impression. William Hurt underplays himself as impeccably as usual and the Mom and Dad are fine, considering the material they are given, although you're never quite sure of their motivations. No one else really gets a look in, but Robin Williams and Ben Kingsley both give good voice performances.
The special effects are the standout but the really impressive ones, surprisingly, aren't given that much screen time. The main effect is the stunning sunken cityscape of Manhattan, complete with the eerie site of the tops of the World Trade Center's twin towers. (Apparently, there is already talk of Speilberg deleting this from the DVD release, although personally I would leave it in, either as a tribute/monument or as a testament to the determination of the American people to rebuild them.)
The Teddy is awesome as it clambers about as if it is alive. The androids are excellent creations when you get to see their inner workings, especially the partially broken ones we encounter at the 'flesh fair'. The sets are generally awesome as well, apart from the last mentioned one. Speilberg always gets lost when he has too many flashing lights. (It took him years and several attempts to sort out Close Encounters.)
The direction is perhaps the most controversial talking point. I felt I couldn't really connect with the characters, there was an emotional distance there, which was actually more reminiscent of Kubrick. There are great moments as always and despite the slow pace I was not aware of the length of the movie until I read other reviews on it. It was compelling watching to see which way it was going to go. For me, Speilberg made the wrong choices on too many occasions and there is definitely a better film hiding in here trying to get out. But compared to your average no-intelligence-required Hollywood movies this is a work of art. It does make you think and if you're aware of its complexity beforehand you'll probably quite enjoy it. If you're expecting an action-adventure sci-fi movie, then you're in for a big disappointment.
Perhaps the biggest failing is the 'familiarity' of the movie. You can't help having an occurence of deja vu (or two!) as it references an unbelievable amount of films. Many of Speilberg's, rather understandably, come to mind including E.T., Close Encounters, Hook, Indiana Jones and Schindler's List. (One of his main themes is the relationship between children and their parents and this can be seen in many of his movies.)
The ending seems to be a nod to his deceased partner's, if that's the right word, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Other films include: Blade Runner, Terminator, Peter Pan, Pinocchio (obviously), The Abyss, Bicentennial Man, Waterworld, Westworld, Forever Young, Twelve Monkeys, and, no doubt, many more. This is a little disconcerting to say the least as you desperately search for some innovation, something that the movie can claim as its own. I'm still looking.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy this movie. Well, perhaps its more interesting than it is entertaining, but that's no crime in my view. At the end of the day it seems to be a movie for children (of all ages) who never heard their parents say "I love you." Is it really as simple as that?
***MAIN CAST***
Haley Joel Osment .... David Swinton Jude Law .... Gigolo Joe Frances O'Connor.... Monica Swinton Sam Robards .... Henry Swinton Jake Thomas .... Martin Swinton Brendan Gleeson .... Lord Johnson-Johnson William Hurt .... Professor Hobby
Rating - 12 (Some sexual references might make it unsuitable for some but, to be honest, this won't appeal to that many teenagers - except the mature and intelligent ones on Ciao, of course!)
Watch and think...
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History will place an asterisk nexttoA.I.as the film Stanley Kubrickmighthave directed. ... more
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Artificial Intelligence' is the story of David (Haley Joel Osment) the first mecha (a ... more
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Advantages: Outstanding performances from Jude Law and Haley Joel Osment. Great special effects. Disadvantages: Childish storyline coupled with improper sentiment and very very poor ending..
![A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001] - 2 disc set [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78527781.jpg "A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001] - 2 disc set [DVD]")
Sep 27th, 2001
(Sep 21st, 2007)
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