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| A.I. Artificial Intelligence |
| Rating: Good Distributor: Dreamworks SKG MPAA Rating: PG-13 Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Futuristic, Thriller Running Length: 2 hours, 24 minutes Release Date: June 29th, 2001 (wide) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor, Sam Robards, Jake Thomas, William Hurt, Adam Scott, Kathryn Morris, and Brendan Gleeson. With voices by Anthony Hopkins, and Robin Williams. |
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| Plot: In a dark, futuristic world the polar ice caps have partially melted, covering cities in ocean. Robots, an integral part of society are for labor and prostitution. Most humans dislike robots, and they are shunned. However, a scientist (William Hurt) decides that he wants the company his company to make a robot boy who can love. The boy might be needed because of the difficulty to have children on account of over population. The boy, David (Haley Joel Osment), is adopted by a family who's only other child is in a coma. When the child awakes he becomes jealous, and eventually the boy is thrown into the harsh world by himself. Gigalo Joe (Jude Law) tries to help David find a way to become a real boy and thus, he thinks, more effectively earn the love of his mother and father. |
| Critique: A.I. Artificial Intelligence is an eerily beautiful, intellectually stimulating film. Although it does not approach any of Steven Spielberg's many masterpieces, it's still very worthwhile. In fact, it doesn't approach Stanley Kubrick's best films either. Kubrick, who died in 1999 had been working on and off with A.I. for years, and towards the latter part of his work he included Spielberg. When Kubrick died, Spielberg finished his work. Because of the involvement of the two great directors the film has had enormous hopes hauled onto it by film buffs and semi-knowledgable filmgoers alike. A.I. should stimulate and please most filmgoers. It gives us film as a medium for thinking, debate, and awareness. It contains haunting music, and tremendously polished cinemtography, by long time Spielberg collaboraters John Williams and Janusz Kaminski, respectively. The acting is extraordinary, with Haley Joel Osment putting out an Oscar worthy performance. Also, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor, and William Hurt are all outstanding. The special effects, and set designs were imaginative and astonishing. The film's flaws lie somewhere deep in its concept. Deep down it's very dischordinate and disjointed, without a real destination. Still, it is guided by a strong current of deep thought, fascinating characters, and consistent emotional involvement. It's emotional resonance is usually one of sadness, and persistent longing. When the film steps into its third, and final act, it becomes astonishingly patient and touching. However, it is inconsistent with the film's earlier philosophies. Most importantly, when it gets into the third act some people may not go along with it. Yet, if you are willing to go along with it, and look deeper, you might be pleasantly surprised at what you see. A.I. applies a deceptively heavy coat of dreamy haze. It's a film that will do better if you sit with it, and think about it. You probably won't like it at first as much as you do later. Thus, it's a memorable, visually powerful film. A.I. often asks a lot of the audience, but in return you will be rewarded. It's not a great film, because there's only so much the film can do with the storytelling roads it took. However, it's a highly recommendable film, that's ripe for debate and thought. review by supernothingman |