A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001) / *** 1/2
Directed by Steven Spielberg. Screenplay by Spielberg, from a story by Ian Watson, based on the short story "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss. Starring Haley Joel Osment, Frances O'Connor, Jude Law. Running time: 146 minutes. Rated PG by the MFCB. Reviewed on August 22nd, 2001.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: David (Osment), a child-like robot programmed to express love, is given to a family whose son was placed in suspended animation because he suffers from an incurable disease. But when the son unexpectedly returns, David is no longer needed. His "mother" (O'Connor) abandons him rather than let him be destroyed. Finding friendship with another robot, Gigolo Joe (Law), David sets off on a quest to find the Blue Fairy, who he believes will help him regain his mother's love.
Review: How do we define a person? Where does "artificial" end and "intelligence" begin? Is there a difference between someone who loves us, and something programmed to do so? These are the questions raised by "A.I.", a film directed by Spielberg but so reminiscent of its originator, Kubrick, that his ghost haunts almost every frame. "A.I." wraps these conundrums in a quest, but at the end of the quest lie more questions. The answers are left to the viewers, who are pulled en route in every direction. Is David's longing for his mother proof of his humanity? Perhaps, but still, David is undeniably not human, as we are periodically reminded. Whatever one concludes, "A.I." is certainly one of the most thought-provoking films in recent memory. It is abetted by spectacular performances, with Osment proving he is perhaps the best child actor working today. David is endearing, but a persistent awkward edge reminds us of his artificiality. And Spielberg's visuals are stunning, perfectly complementing "A.I."'s central contradiction. His humans live in a stark world of clinical coldness; the robots inhabit a chaotic, colourful universe. The humans are passive and remote; the robots cling desperately to life. And although "A.I." does suffer from an extended coda that never quite works, it remains a fine tribute to the genius that was Kubrick.
Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html
| Shannon Patrick Sullivan | shannon@mun.ca | +---------------------------------+---------------------------------+ / Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) go.to/drwho-history \ \__ We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars __/
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