D.A.R.Y.L. - Der Außergewöhnliche

I cant help feeling that Daryl could well have been a young Jason Bourne. Synopsis: A military experiment lab loses its super enhanced human subject to the outside world who is now suffering from amnesia while the military hunts him down. Sounds familiar? Daryl got there first but thinking about it, there is no reason why the Bourne trilogy cannot be seen as unofficial sequels to Daryl. But enough of that. I remember loving this film when I first saw it 20 years ago so when I watched it again I expected to find it dated and perhaps much of the magic gone. The opposite happened. I was spellbound. It is somewhat dated but that simply adds to the charm as the 80s was the epitome of childhood innocence, wonder and mischief before the internet age came along. What elevates this film above most children's films is the abundance of heart, soul and values of friendship. All the actors play their part with natural aplomb and it has to be said that Barrat who plays the boy robot with human emotions, was played to perfection. Mckean plays the foster father delightfully (although has a frightening resemblance to ex UK Prime Minister Tony Blair). The film is sprinkled with humour throughout particularly with Turtle teaching Daryl how to behave and how to deal with adults! There is no action in the first three quarters of the movie (apart from a brief car chase at the start). Instead we are invested in the characters and relationships so that we truly care about them by the time the thrilling final act kicks into gear. And boy, is the last act so exciting, with perhaps the best car chase I have seen in any children's film and a climactic action finale that I can only conclude Die Hard 2 stole from! Daryl is an under rated 80s classic.

'D.A.R.Y.L.' is an adorable little sci-fi children's film from the Eighties and will certainly conjure feelings of nostalgia in those who watched it as children. The film revolves around ten-year-old Daryl, who is found wandering alone in the wilderness and is fostered by childless couple Joyce and Andy Richardson. He quickly befriends their neighbours' son Turtle and goes from strength-to-strength in his new home. However, it soon becomes apparent that Daryl isn't quite normal. His intellect is vast, he has excellent sporting reflexes and acts in an oddly adult manner. Then, when two military scientists turn up at the Richardsons' home to retrieve him, it turns out Daryl is not a human child but a Data Analysing Robot Youth Lifeform, created in a science lab to serve the military. When the military orders that Daryl be destroyed, the fight to save him and return him to the family home where he was loved is on...

Barret Oliver plays the title character of Daryl, gives an effective performance and nicely depicts his character gradually changing from being odd and awkward to acting like a typical boy of ten. Mary Beth Hurt and Michael McKean, as Joyce and Andy, also give good depictions of foster parents desperate for a child, uncertain about the strange nature of Daryl yet coming to love him as if he were their own. Josef Sommer plays the scientist who begins to question the boundaries of what is considered human once he starts to know Daryl, the robot he created, properly. And Ron Frazier, as General Graycliffe who is intent on seeing Daryl destroyed, depicts his character in a suitably loathsome light!

Besides the nostalgia factor for those in their twenties and early thirties, this film will not only be enjoyable for children of today but, as we live in the computer age, brings up very relevant issues that they can consider such as what being a human means and why blood relations doesn't always matter when it comes to family. Daryl, for younger viewers, is the equivalent of Data from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' so perhaps making this film a good choice for parents wishing to introduce their young kids to the sci-fi genre.

This is definitely an Eighties kids' classic but also one for all the family.

Found wandering in the wilderness and suffering amnesia, a preteen boy comes to suspect that he is very different to other children his age in this intriguing thriller with a science fiction twist. While the title, promotional artwork and plot summaries (include on the DVD back cover!) spell out the fact that him feeling different is due to being a robot, the filmmakers keep this plot detail deliciously vague during the first half, which in turn becomes an involving tale of an abnormal young person trying to fit in. As others have pointed out, with his quick-learning abilities and lack of social skills, it is easy to see Daryl as metaphorical for someone on the Autism Spectrum and the overall movie has some positive messages as such in terms of acceptance for all. The second half of the film, which is more thrills than mystery-based, is not quite as strong as the first half, but lots of impressive (if improbable) stunts keep things chugging along. The ending certainly feels a little rushed and Marvin Hamlisch's sentimental music score does not always work. In general though, this is an engaging tale along the lines of 'Pinocchio' and 'A.I.' with the idea that all kids are kids even if their minds work differently.

For me, there is simply nothing not to like about this film. It is well scripted, the parts fit together seamlessly and logically, and everything is justly proportioned--that is, everything's in good balance.

And the best part of it is that the acting is never overdone. The main characters are really human and believable, and Barret Oliver's acting is totally natural and spontaneous.

So even though one has to suspend disbelief in the science fiction impossibility of the story (a mere machine could never actually become a human brain), it's really worth doing so, just for the fun of it.

Just accept the basic premise of the plot for the sake of the story, and then relax and enjoy a heart-warming display of what are real human values in a world where these are sometimes sadly lacking, and a thought-provoking consideration of what it means to be 'a real person.'

This film is a nostalgia fest for me. Am I being a bit selfish to review a film when I am so connected to it , perhaps so I will try to put my love for the film aside and review it for what it is. This film is part of what I would call the Amblin generation of films (although it is not an Amblin film) because it came out in a decade full of wonderful family films (Goonies,Gremlins,Cocoon,Neverending story etc..) . It was a time when adults could watch a so called kids film and enjoy it as much as their rugrats. D.A.R.Y.L is a family drama with a dash of Sci-Fy , it is two film in one.A heart warming film for the first half and a children Sci Fy thriller in it's second half.These two different style works surprisingly well here. There is something so welcoming about the first half when young D.A.R.Y.L superbly played by child actor Barret Oliver is found in the middle of the wood and put into foster care as a test drive for a couple who desperately want to adopt a child. Here he meet his first friend , potty mouthed Turtle (Yeah he his called Turtle) and learn valuable lessons about how to relate to adults (The kid does not know a thing about being a son) There is just something so incredibly warm and fuzzy about the first half of the movie that makes it the perfect choice for a rainy Sunday afternoon.There is that 80's charm.It is also nice to basically watch a family that enjoy the little thing in life like baseball , Ice cream etc..The suburban setting his welcoming and the 80's vibe will bring as much memories to 80's kids as lets say "The Andy Griffith Show" does for children of the 50's. It was a simpler time and this film shows that. Barret Oliver as D.A.R.Y.L is a great main character , he his curious , oddly different and curiously smart...way too smart. The second half reveal something is different about D.A.R.Y.L and that is when the Sci-Fy elements kicks in. I am not going to say what it is just in case the person who is reading this know nothing about this film (The cover of the DVD reveals way too much unfortunately). This film is a great film for the all family.If you feel to escape the grim reality of life lol you could do far worse then putting this charming film on! I give D.A.R.Y.L a 8 out of 10.