Artificial Intellignce: A.I. (2001)

[Bayleaf48]

The Film A.I

I really enjoyed this film & was actually surprised by the ending as it wasn't how I thought that it would end, but overall I did really, really enjoy it

 

[*bastet*]

This is really interesting! I think A.I. is one of the few films that I absolutely did not enjoy!!

The end - too obscure, I think.

In fact, I wouldn't value the film that bad, when it had ended with the boy being 'drowned' - although, he couldn't really die...
But when this thinny aliens arrived, I got the feeling that the film was getting out of controll in a way... too unreal, I mean, I wouldn't wonder, if some day we'll ''use'' androids, but I do not believe, that lifeforms of whatever origin visit us someday...

sorry - not a film for me

 

[Bayleaf48]

That's alright because you're BEING honest

 

[*bastet*]

I'll always do so...

 

[Bayleaf48]

That is good :rolly2:

 

[Dave]

Originally posted by *bastet*
I wouldn't wonder, if some day we'll ''use'' androids, but I do not believe, that lifeforms of whatever origin visit us someday...

I thought that the "Thinnies" were just superior androids.

This was my take anyhow:

David the android boy moves in with a couple to replace their sick son, stored in a cryogenic chamber. The real son is then cured and friction results in the family home. The parents get scared when the simulcrum son could have drowned the real son. They are forced to send the Mecha son to be dismantled. So, like "Pinocchio", he goes on a long journey hoping to find his "Blue Fairy," who can make his dream of being a real boy come true.

But wait, I could smell a hint of "The Wizard of Oz" in there too:

Firstly, to find the fairy (Good Witch), he makes a long journey with fellow Mecha Gigolo Joe, who cannot love like he does (the Tin Man without a heart), and Teddy (Cowardly Lion), to the Rouge City (Emerald City), where they finally get to ask their questions to Dr. Know (who lives in a room remarkably similar to the Wizard), in the hope that he might one day go home (Kansas.)

Under a (global-warming) submerged New York of the future, complete with Twin Towers, he finds his "Blue Fairy" in a fairground ride. (This was the Stanley Kubrick ending apparently.)

Steven Speilberg has him wait another 2000 years (batteries must have improved, especially the Teddy's), until advanced robots who had never known humans thaw him out of the ice (global-cooling). They use manipulation of the space-time continuum to allow him to spend one last perfect day with his mother.

They revere him as their only remaining link with humans.

I agree, I think I much preferred the 'first' ending. I still think that it was an excellent film, but much too long.

The film seemed to be in 3 distinct parts:

The first part was the boy trying to be human, the human boy-android boy interactions, and it was interesting.

The second part was a Bladerunner/ Mad Max view of the future where robots were worthless non-entities, and made a striking chord with the affluent lfestyle of the family at the start. The Flesh Fair was particularly horrific.

The final part became just fantasy and in my view spoiled the rest.

 

[Tabitha]

Great synopsis Dave - I agree with you on the ending, but I have met quite a few people who thought the ending was the best bit. In fact I was just thinking about posting a poll about the ending the other day - I still might.

In the original Kubrick ending - do you know what happened when David found the Blue Fairy? Or did his batteries just die at that point?

I thought that the "Thinnies" were just superior androids.

That seems to be a common perception - I think that is what is intended all along.

 

[Bayleaf48]

The fil has both it's good & bad points

 

[Wingless Flyer]

I saw this one with my school when it was released, it wasn't bad, but not my type of film

It made my mate cry though!

 

[Tabitha]

Was A.I.'s ending rubbish?

Seems to be quite a contentious issue. Of all the people I have discussed this movie with (quite a lot ) there is a split right down the middle between the people who thought the final act, with the introduction of the alien robots (or not...) was the best part of the movie.

Personally I think it should have ended with David trapped underwater with the Blue Fairy.

What do you guys think?

 

[Bayleaf48]

Made my sister cry in places aswell

 

[tokyogirl]

i liked the ending. david got what he wanted. all he ever wanted in life was to be loved by his mother, and he got that. one perfect day with his mother.

 

[tokyogirl]

ok, first of all i really liked the ending. when it ends with david in the bottom of the ocean, there's no closure. david, the obvious hero, has only one flaw - unconditional love. he has a mother who abandons him to a world where she knows he will probably be destroyed, only becuase she doesn't have the guts to take him back. and yet he still loves her. it's the love of a child. all he wanted was a time to feel that love with her again. and he got that. i like what SS did with the ending. kubric, in his ususally dark manner, was going to leave the film without the one thing it needed - hope. the 'thinnies', robot, alien, or whatever now actually have a permanant example of how humans lived. they can know about the good and the bad. but they are able to witness the unconditional love that david shares with his mother, and david has finally found acceptance. i thought the ending was cool. it did take me a little bit to get used to it, but i really like it.

 

[Bayleaf48]

Sure was different though fromhow the rest of the film was leading up to

 

[Bayleaf48]

The ending was Okay, but also sad aswell as he could only spend 24hrs with his Mum :crying: :crying: :crying:

 

[tokyogirl]

but he got what he want most in life. how many people can say that?

 

[tokyogirl]

yeah, it did kind of throw me at first.

 

[Bayleaf48]

But is rather sad though as even though David finds out that his mother loved him, he only gets to spend 24 hrs with her

 

[Bayleaf48]

Not many at all

 

[Diamond9697]

I wouldn't say it was rubbish but I do think it would have been better if he had stayed underwater with the fairy in a way.