Film Review: Artificial Intelligence
Essay by review • November 25, 2010 • Essay • 1,054 Words (5 Pages) • 1,737 Views
FILM REVIEW: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
2001's "Artificial Intelligence" is blockbuster king Steven Spielberg's attempt at
bringing renowned filmmaker Stanley Kubrick's vision to life. The film is a dramatic
near future tale of finding ones self and the struggle of one boy robot trying to understand
life and his ability to feel unconditional love towards a human mother. Spielberg once
again puts us in awe with some amazing visuals and great character direction but at the
same time lets us down with some stilted dialogue and slow pacing. Dialogue aside,
Spielberg shines as a story teller and he always seems to move us in some way or
another.
The story is set in the near future. A place where man and machine have come to
live side by side. It's almost cold, as if everyone is lacking something emotionally
themselves. A top researcher, Professor Hobby is looking to create something more. The
introduction of "David", the first machine designed to feel unconditional love, rises
many morale questions among humans. And when David's human family can't handle
the consequences of having this "mecha" boy, they abandon him. David is left alone in a
terrifying new world and embarks on his journey to discover the secret to his own
identity.
Haley Joel Osment, this kid really is good. He plays "David" The first child robot
with the ability to feel emotions, to love unconditionally. In the beginning, David is very
innocent in his actions, very robotic and odd. Like a new born, he acts with such
curiosity but as his mother begins to feel hope is lost with her real son (he's in a coma),
she activates or "implants" David with his emotions. This is where Osment really shines
as a young star. If you look closely, you will see the eerie transition in his facial
expressions, he becomes a little more real. It's all in his eyes, and what's more impressive
is that he doesn't blink throughout the entire movie, these little details really make his
character shine. On David's journey in the movie, he is accompanied by a super toy
named "Teddy". Think of him as what Jiminy Cricket was to Pinocchio. He was always
with David, holding his hand, looking out for him. Also worth mentioning is Gigolo Joe,
a pleasure bot (use your imagination) who was superbly played by Jude Law. Law once
again proves why he is one of the most underrated actors today, He brings so much
Charisma and style to his character, a bit of a throwback to the men of the 50's. Both
David and Joe evolve as machines into something a little more human as they are faced
with decisions a "mecha" would normally never have to make.
It's the near future and the ice-caps have melted. Chaotic climate changes have
drowned the cities that we know of today. Humans now live in a world where artificial
intelligence has grown so advanced that machines now carry out most of our daily,
routine jobs. But that's not enough for Professor Hobby, played by a very under used
William Hurt. He wants to build a child mecha that can portray emotions, even love. One
families tragic situation involving their comatose son makes them the ideal candidates for
the prototype mecha "David". Complications arise and David is left abandoned, fending
for himself, he embarks on his epic tale and what he finds will either excite you are leave
you very disappointed.
The antagonist in this story is man himself. The world seems to be on the brink
of civil war. People are torn between living with and accepting these machines and
completely ending their existence. People that are against the mecha's run these
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