Tuesday, November 11, 2003

The Editor-in-Chief Speaks...

Movie Review: A.I. Artificial Intelligence

I picked up this movie at the library the other day with the impression of "This is going to be dumb." But I watched it anyway. What I found was a pretty artistic vision that didn't live up to the expectations of the viewer, which is why the critics panned it.

The first half is GREAT. Great, because the topic of discussion (and that's what the movie does, it discusses the possibility of having A.I. and whether or not it would be beneficial to mankind). As you watch it, THINK about that, it deals with a really realistic issue for the future.

Plot: Population control is in strict effect. Government permits are required in order to have a child, and when family's only son is in a coma, it is selected to be the test market for a new Mecha (Mechanical, as opposed to "Orga" for Organism) called "David". David is the first mecha to appear in the form of a child, and he is the first mecha cabable of loving. Once programmed to love someone, he can't undo his love for them. It's an eternal love, and a really interesting portrayal of it. When the family's real son comes out of his coma, David is no longer valued as he once was, and eventually gets sent away. I don't want to ruin more of it for you, so I won't.

There are a couple of scenes in it that I fast forwarded. At one point he and his friend Gigolo Joe end up at "Rouge City" searching for Dr. Know (voiced by Robin Williams). The city is basically a really scary depiction of sin, in the future. If you see it as being something that Spielberg views as possible, it will chill you.

There are some things I wish had been done differently...such as the ending. When you watch it you'll be surprised because it doesn't go at all where you'd expect, but don't judge the movie because of that. Remember that you didn't write and this was Spielberg's vision for the movie (he was the screenwriter) and take it for what it is, not how YOU would have done it; otherwise you'll hate the movie altogether.

Matt's Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
bowpack at 9:24 AM