A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Seen: 2001-06-30
Overall: ***
Writing: ***
Acting: ****
Cinematography: *** 1/2
Effects: *** 1/2
Music: ***
Art: ***
Direction: ***
Originality: *** 1/2
Enjoyment: ***
Conditions: *** 1/2
Venue: AMC Westminster Promenade 24
Medium: Silver Screen
More Info
This film is going to get a mixed review, if ever there
was one. If I am harsher about flaws in this one than I
might be with ordinary movies, it is because A.I.
showed such enormous potential in so many ways, thus
making it all the more disappointing during moments
when it just falls flat. 98% of those sour moments occur
during the last 20 minutes of the film, leaving people
scratching their heads during closing credits at at what
otherwise would have been an amazing cinematic experience.
Given the way it turned out, I would have to agree with
what some of the people I was watching it with said:
It should have ended RIGHT at that one scene (I'll not
spoil, but if you've seen it, you know the one), just
before the tacky voice-over narrative comes on, and the
whole dramatic pretty much goes downhill from
there. Where it should have been at a climax (or been
long over, having quit while it was ahead; take your
pick), there's a bunch of lame techno babble followed
by several scenes of contrived sappiness. Blah.
Above criticisms aside, up until those last 20(?)
minutes, this really was an amazing film. It was great
scifi. Great drama. Excellent, thought provoking, and
very interesting both visually and mentally.
Haley Joel Osment is an incredibly gifted child
actor. (But anyone who watched The Sixth Sense
(Which I saw on DVD many moons ago, but never
bothered to log), already knew that, right?) His
performance is really the heart of this film.
The visual effects are pretty much what you'd expect
from a modern day big budget studio film, which is to
say: really excellent. They are put to good use here.
(Again, I'd have to make an exception for the last 20
minutes. While the visuals were still well done, the
premise just became too stupid to make it feel
impressive.)
Well, that's my review, I guess. I probably would have
rated this one 4 stars if it had managed to maintain
(or gracefully conclude) the level of dramatic wonder
demonstrated during the first 2 hours of viewing. As
it is, I just walked out feeling let down at the end.
Still, there's an awful lot to like about it. That's all.
This film is going to get a mixed review, if ever there was one. If I am harsher about flaws in this one than I might be with ordinary movies, it is because A.I. showed such enormous potential in so many ways, thus making it all the more disappointing during moments when it just falls flat. 98% of those sour moments occur during the last 20 minutes of the film, leaving people scratching their heads during closing credits at at what otherwise would have been an amazing cinematic experience.
Given the way it turned out, I would have to agree with what some of the people I was watching it with said: It should have ended RIGHT at that one scene (I'll not spoil, but if you've seen it, you know the one), just before the tacky voice-over narrative comes on, and the whole dramatic pretty much goes downhill from there. Where it should have been at a climax (or been long over, having quit while it was ahead; take your pick), there's a bunch of lame techno babble followed by several scenes of contrived sappiness. Blah.
Above criticisms aside, up until those last 20(?) minutes, this really was an amazing film. It was great scifi. Great drama. Excellent, thought provoking, and very interesting both visually and mentally.
Haley Joel Osment is an incredibly gifted child actor. (But anyone who watched The Sixth Sense (Which I saw on DVD many moons ago, but never bothered to log), already knew that, right?) His performance is really the heart of this film.
The visual effects are pretty much what you'd expect from a modern day big budget studio film, which is to say: really excellent. They are put to good use here. (Again, I'd have to make an exception for the last 20 minutes. While the visuals were still well done, the premise just became too stupid to make it feel impressive.)
Well, that's my review, I guess. I probably would have rated this one 4 stars if it had managed to maintain (or gracefully conclude) the level of dramatic wonder demonstrated during the first 2 hours of viewing. As it is, I just walked out feeling let down at the end. Still, there's an awful lot to like about it. That's all.