A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mike S

  
  Can a robot be taught to love and be genuinely loved in return? Exploring this very fascinating subject, as well as a number of other philosophical themes, this well-crafted sci-fi yarn has much to offer when it comes to engaging moral debate. Spielberg, who took over the helm for… More
  Can a robot be taught to love and be genuinely loved in return? Exploring this very fascinating subject, as well as a number of other philosophical themes, this well-crafted sci-fi yarn has much to offer when it comes to engaging moral debate. Spielberg, who took over the helm for this film after the sudden passing of Stanley Kubrick, knows how to effectively win our attention and pull at our heartstrings. Many have accused this film of being too sentimental, and in some ways I may agree. Overall though, I thought it was a very poignant and thought-provoking experience. Revolving around the fate of a "mecha child" named David (played outstandingly by Haley Joel Osment), it's a story that really gets under the skin, with its rather complex dilemmas and haunting visuals. Is it right to treat an artificial being however we please, simply because it's not human? And where do we draw the line between life and non-life? You'll find it difficult to watch this movie, without pondering at least once about these questions. Pacing-wise, things move very slowly in the first hour or so, but once David is set free into the world, the story gets a lot better and become really exciting and adventurous. Beside Haley, the ensemble also includes talents like Brendan Gleeson and Jude Law. Law especially is really superb as the robotic "Gigolo Joe", who goes on the run after being tied to a murder he did not commit. Phenomenal special effects to boot, which even 10 years after their making, still impresses the eyes. My favourite part of the movie comes with its final 30 min, where we are transported through time to quite an imaginative vision of Earth in the far-distant future. I wish I could say more, but I don't wanna spoil anything for those that haven't seen it yet. What I can divulge though, is that it's a journey well worth taking. Especially if you're a fan of either of its two master storytellers.

• Bently L

  
  I figured writing a review to A.I. would be a good follow-up to my 2001 review which was my 300th review. A.I. Artificial Intelligence was originally going to be made by the late Stanley Kubrick but picked up by Stephen Spielberg shortly after his death. After seeing 2001, I can… More
  I figured writing a review to A.I. would be a good follow-up to my 2001 review which was my 300th review. A.I. Artificial Intelligence was originally going to be made by the late Stanley Kubrick but picked up by Stephen Spielberg shortly after his death. After seeing 2001, I can easily see that this is a great homage to a late and great director. The film is set in a dark and gloomy future where the polar ice caps have melted and the great cities have flooded. A robot, or "meccha", named David is built. He is designed to show love and is given to a family who lost a child. David's human caretaker, Monica, can't deal with him and sends him out into the world. David dreams of becoming a real boy and sets out on a journey with the help of a Meccha gigolo named Joe and his robotic teddy bear, Teddy, to the find the key to becoming a real boy: The Blue Fairy. Artificial Intelligence is quite underrated in my opinion. It is one of my favorites from Spielberg. This is one of two Spielberg movies, the other being Saving Private Ryan, in which we totally forget who's directing. Spielberg didn't make this, Kubrick did. It has a lot of silent moments and camera angles that the director may have used. However, the second portion of the film feels very Spielbergian but the end is Kubrick all the way! The performances in this film are fantastic. Kudos go to Haley Joel Osment, the kid from The Sixth Sense, for his portrayal of David. Jude Law was great as the Gigolo. My favorite character in the film was Teddy. He was brilliant! I will go out of my way to get a supertoy teddybear. The writing was very good and the effect were amazing. Better than some of the films released today. I got to wrap up this review. I'm at a library and I only have 8 minutes left on the computer. This movie shook many emotions in me but my only issue with it is that it has too many conflicts. However, i enjoyed every minute of it from the visuals to the direction to the performances. I do reccomend this one. You're gonna want to have a box of Kleenex with you towards the end. "I've been counting the seconds since last we met."

• Brad W

  
  Ai was incredible storytelling, but end with me feeling empty and feeling bad. Haley Joel Osment is a very talented actor in this and The Sixth Sense, but I don't understand why hes not in movies anymore? The plot is a work of genius, another great futuristic vision by… More
  Ai was incredible storytelling, but end with me feeling empty and feeling bad. Haley Joel Osment is a very talented actor in this and The Sixth Sense, but I don't understand why hes not in movies anymore? The plot is a work of genius, another great futuristic vision by Spielberg. Jude Law as a robot male prostitute... WTF? The visual effects in this film are amazing and well done. This movie is more of a drama than a sci-fi, and sometimes that worked, and sometimes not. The ending was a major dissappointment, it wasnt a tearjerking heartfelt moment, it was a F#CK YOU moment. Overall a good movie.

• Adriel L

  
  Poignant, sentimental and truly fascinating. A movie to behold for the contemplative, it provokes the viewer about life and primal, unconditional love and morality. In the end, we realize then that life is beautiful when you can love, and it's all that really matters. Incredible… More
  Poignant, sentimental and truly fascinating. A movie to behold for the contemplative, it provokes the viewer about life and primal, unconditional love and morality. In the end, we realize then that life is beautiful when you can love, and it's all that really matters. Incredible story that is both complex and intriguing, filled with metaphors to the delight of the intellect. Though one would wonder how this would've turned out if Kubrick directed, it is nevertheless, a deliverer in the classic Spielberg sentimental and profound film.

• Tim S

  
  One of the few times in cinema that I've been both entertained and moved equally. I wept like a baby during the last 20 minutes or so the film and it's that it's unusual for me to do that, but the film just really hit home. This is an incredibly well-told story, with… More
  One of the few times in cinema that I've been both entertained and moved equally. I wept like a baby during the last 20 minutes or so the film and it's that it's unusual for me to do that, but the film just really hit home. This is an incredibly well-told story, with a proper use of special effects as a means to help tell that story. The bottom line is that it's amazing, and Haley Joel Osment deserved an Oscar nod for his performance.

• Sophie B

  
  A brilliant story of a boy who wants to be real. Before I watched this I didn't know what I was letting myself in for, but the narrative is haunting but inspirational. Haley Joel Osment's performance was one of a kind with his big bright eyes looking at the world like… More
  A brilliant story of a boy who wants to be real. Before I watched this I didn't know what I was letting myself in for, but the narrative is haunting but inspirational. Haley Joel Osment's performance was one of a kind with his big bright eyes looking at the world like he'd never seen it before. Truly amazing but an extremely sad film. My only issue was that it was a bit too long which took away some of the impact of the film.

• Steven C

  
  I believe that "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" is Steven Spielberg at his riskiest. He has never been so emotionally daring or so probing with his themes. The film is extremely resonant in all the right ways. It's emotionally haunting as well as viscerally thrilling.… More
  I believe that "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" is Steven Spielberg at his riskiest. He has never been so emotionally daring or so probing with his themes. The film is extremely resonant in all the right ways. It's emotionally haunting as well as viscerally thrilling. The future Spielberg crafted is one that is real and tangible. It seems extremely authentic. It's great to see a contemporary science-fiction film that is both emotionally engaging, visually stunning and best of all well acted. Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law and Frances O'Connor are wonderful here, adding that layer of family dynamic and human condition that Spielberg does so well with. "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" is Steven Spielberg's most underrated and overlooked film. I personally think it's one of his best for so effortlessly combining his various sensibilities.

• Kylie B

  
  I suprised myself by liking this film quite a lot, even though it nearly made me cry a couple of times (yes I am soppy). The ending was a bit overblown perhaps, but overall I enjoyed it very much. Gigolo Joe was probably my favourite character, I'm not usually a big fan of Jude… More
  I suprised myself by liking this film quite a lot, even though it nearly made me cry a couple of times (yes I am soppy). The ending was a bit overblown perhaps, but overall I enjoyed it very much. Gigolo Joe was probably my favourite character, I'm not usually a big fan of Jude Law but he played an android pretty well.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Modern retelling of "Pinocchio", originally helmed by Stanley Kubrick. The story, adapted from Brian Aldiss's "Super-toys Last all Summer Long", showed tremendous potential for a really dark cinematic experience, but Steven Spielberg's characteristic… More
  Modern retelling of "Pinocchio", originally helmed by Stanley Kubrick. The story, adapted from Brian Aldiss's "Super-toys Last all Summer Long", showed tremendous potential for a really dark cinematic experience, but Steven Spielberg's characteristic style rendered it a little cheesy (albeit slightly creepy). Kubrick's vision would have helped the film a lot more. Nevertheless, it's one of those films you can't help but call "beautiful". The performances by Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law are great, as well.

• Dead A

  
  I think this movie was brilliant. David (Haley Joel Osment) acted really good for his age. The story kinda reminds me of <i>Bicentennial Man</i>. You know robot having feelings and stuff but thanks Allah that they didn't end up creating artificial heart/body/etc. The… More
  I think this movie was brilliant. David (Haley Joel Osment) acted really good for his age. The story kinda reminds me of <i>Bicentennial Man</i>. You know robot having feelings and stuff but thanks Allah that they didn't end up creating artificial heart/body/etc. The story was very heart touching. Every time I watch this kinda film, I think that it can only happen in movies. No human have that ability to create a living thing (yes challenge me and you'll end up being embarrassed so don't even hope that it's gonna happen in future). But anyway, the ending was pretty sad.

• Spencer S

  
  A strange maze you have to maneuver with an open mind.

• Lafe F

  
  An awesome odyssey of a robot-boy's journey to become a real boy. I was with him all the way. Very heart-touching. The tacked-on last 30 minutes of the movie really worked for me. It's a great adventure which I find myself re-watching quite often. It poses a lot of questions… More
  An awesome odyssey of a robot-boy's journey to become a real boy. I was with him all the way. Very heart-touching. The tacked-on last 30 minutes of the movie really worked for me. It's a great adventure which I find myself re-watching quite often. It poses a lot of questions about what it is to be human. One of the hilights was the robotic teddy bear. Warning: it has some very sad and emotionally disturbing scenes; some people might feel like their hearstrings are being manipulated. Probably on my top-20 list for all time. Favorite Scenes: when David meets the Blue Fairy and when when Teddy reveals the clipping...

• Jeremy S

  
  Underated and misunderstood, only time will reveal what A.I. really is, a masterpeice.

• Thomas B

  
  Really amazing. Full review later.

• Conner R

  
  A great visual film that is a perfect ode to Stanley Kubrick's idea. The story was an interesting take in Pinnochio that is actually one of the most effective adaptions. The acting was perfect and Haley Joel Osment was a great choice.

• Dean M

  
  Steven Spielberg's emotionally harrowing epic about a robot boy who become "real" so that he can regain the love his human mother is a very personal film, a deeply moving, scientific and careful. This was the late great Stanley Kubrick's final project as it… More
  Steven Spielberg's emotionally harrowing epic about a robot boy who become "real" so that he can regain the love his human mother is a very personal film, a deeply moving, scientific and careful. This was the late great Stanley Kubrick's final project as it realised by Spielberg after Kubrick's death. The look of the film is dazzling and amazing. The central character, a robot boy played by Haley Joel Osment, motivates every action in the story except for the scenes in Rouge City. As for the ending, as brave as an idea it may of been to end on a downbeat note at "the first ending" I think the slightly upbeat ending is much more appropriate.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"David is 11 years old. He weighs 60 pounds. He is 4 feet, 6 inches tall. He has brown hair. His love is real. But he is not."</i> A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.… More
  <i>"David is 11 years old. He weighs 60 pounds. He is 4 feet, 6 inches tall. He has brown hair. His love is real. But he is not."</i> A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> A film with fantastic possibilities that is sadly flawed. Set well into the future, a cybernetics company makes the first life-like robot that is not only a boy child but imprints itself on the adopted mother and learns by developing responses based on love. Haley Joel Osment largely has to carry the film and at times I felt his innocent questioning expression wasn't quite up to it. We go back to the banality, frequently admitted in the film that, at the end of the day, he is no more than a machine. The machine may be a therapeutic tool for a mother who has lost her only natural child, but beyond that? It seemed incomprehensible to me that such a society would develop with so little in the way of ethical codes of practice, and so seemed to put the film more firmly in the younger-audience market, yet some of the scenes would be unacceptable to those younger audiences. That leaves quite a narrow bracket of, say, 12 to 18 years. The dynamics of Mother-Child emotion are played out quite well at certain times, and it would probably be enjoyed by parents who don't shy away from the obvious cheesiness or the sci-fi trappings. The film's best part, for me, was the ingenious ending, that brings further elements into play and unexpectedly gives some food for thought - though not enough to justify nearly two and a half hours of cheesy comic-adventure. Very Spielberg, but not quite in the class of his all-time greats.

• Anthony L

  
  I liked it a lot but i wish Kubrick had directed it. Spielberg does a good job but it's just too....well, Spielbergy!

• Alice S

  
  Extraordinarily sad and brilliant. Young Haley Joel Osment is at times, so eerily serene, and at other times, so scarily manic. This futuristic society is well-developed with clear goals for all. Only the alienesque figures in the future's future seem generically sci-fi.

• Lady D

  
  Steven Speilberg?s modern take on the classic Pinnochio story is a high quality special effects film. With interesting characters and what starts out to be a magical futuristic story, soon turns out to a be a darkened tale of love and loss.

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