This movie, set in the future, is about an 11 year old robot boy who has been programmed to love. The problem is that humans find it difficult to love him back.
A lot has been written about how this movie was planned in the 80s by Stanley Kubriek and then later passed on the Spielberg. So there has been a lot of anticipation about how Kubriek, with his mostly misanthrop view, and Spielberg, with his mostly warm outlook, are going to collaborate on a movie. Both believed by many to be one of the greatest directors of their time.
So the net result is bold, surprising, difficult to follow and detached work of art ( no doubt ) that does not quite hold up. The premise of the movie is excellent -- a boy in seach of love -- however, as audiences we feel no emotion at all. That is the movie's big failure.
The film has extraordinary cinematography ( Janusz Kaminski ) -- very subtle and yet telling. A lot of attention has been paid to details. There is also a clear attempt to not use special effects to take interest away from the theme.
There are no big actors -- however, the small Joel Haley -- though doing a fine job -- ultimately becomes an overdose and you wouldn't want to see him for another year -- once you see this movie. Other than him -- nobody really has much else to do.
A scene from the movie worth mentioning is -- 'The Flesh Fair' -- a kind of a combination of a rock concert and WWF wrestling match -- where humans get together to brutally kill/destroy robots. It is a horrifying portrayel of humanity -- a true Kubrik scene.
Where the movie completely fails -- as many others with a novel idea do -- is at the end. The last half hour where the director tries our patience and our intelligence is a disaster. Obviously -- either not enough time was spent to think about a logical conclusion or a wrong choice was made and what we end up with is a dull elongated funeral of a movie that could have been great.
As many critics have pointed -- Kubrik, from the grave, has been able to pull down Spielberg. Although, I feel Spielberg let him willingly -- as proven by how his choice of movies has gone from Jaws to Schiendler's List -- more Kubrik like as his career has progressed.
A lot has been written about how this movie was planned in the 80s by Stanley Kubriek and then later passed on the Spielberg. So there has been a lot of anticipation about how Kubriek, with his mostly misanthrop view, and Spielberg, with his mostly warm outlook, are going to collaborate on a movie. Both believed by many to be one of the greatest directors of their time.
So the net result is bold, surprising, difficult to follow and detached work of art ( no doubt ) that does not quite hold up. The premise of the movie is excellent -- a boy in seach of love -- however, as audiences we feel no emotion at all. That is the movie's big failure.
The film has extraordinary cinematography ( Janusz Kaminski ) -- very subtle and yet telling. A lot of attention has been paid to details. There is also a clear attempt to not use special effects to take interest away from the theme.
There are no big actors -- however, the small Joel Haley -- though doing a fine job -- ultimately becomes an overdose and you wouldn't want to see him for another year -- once you see this movie. Other than him -- nobody really has much else to do.
A scene from the movie worth mentioning is -- 'The Flesh Fair' -- a kind of a combination of a rock concert and WWF wrestling match -- where humans get together to brutally kill/destroy robots. It is a horrifying portrayel of humanity -- a true Kubrik scene.
Where the movie completely fails -- as many others with a novel idea do -- is at the end. The last half hour where the director tries our patience and our intelligence is a disaster. Obviously -- either not enough time was spent to think about a logical conclusion or a wrong choice was made and what we end up with is a dull elongated funeral of a movie that could have been great.
As many critics have pointed -- Kubrik, from the grave, has been able to pull down Spielberg. Although, I feel Spielberg let him willingly -- as proven by how his choice of movies has gone from Jaws to Schiendler's List -- more Kubrik like as his career has progressed.