Prototype humain

This is one of the best pieces of television SF ever created.

It's uncommonly well acted, well directed and well written and often moving, especially the ending.

Best guess is that the majority of viewers thought they were going to get an action piece filled with explosions and mayhem instead of a rare bird: a piece of television drama that explores what it means to be human through the eyes of an android.

David Morse is exceptional as is Christopher Plummer as his chief creator.

How this movie rates a 5.7 on the IMDB scale is beyond me.

One supposes the level of intelligence required to enjoy such a piece is higher than the average drone.

This is one of the most compelling and heartbreaking redux of the Frankenstein story set in a modern age. Plummer gives a great portrayal of a scientist working to push make his vision come true without realizing why it is so important. David Morse is very good as Michael the Prototype android of the title. His innocent curiousity about the world pulled me into the story. And his realization about the way things are in the end tore my heart. When Michael says, Don't hold me. You can feel the metal." The pain was shared between the three of us, Dr. Forrester, Michael and me.

I am thinking of the 2016 "Arrival" as I watch this beautifully crafted story in which the military believes it is in charge of the "miraculous"--for the questioning mind of Michael, the laboratory-created being,is sensitive and creative. He processes both literature and experience, and asks questions. During his first venture into the world beyond the laboratory he is sensitive to expectations, and capable of wonder--seeing the toy train and being mesmerized by "the little puffs of smoke". The laboratory has produced something which is in fact a someone, a new person. And, as in "Arrival", the appearance of something not understood elicits two kind of response--the need to control it, and the need to understand it. I recognize that we are stuck with institutionalized fear in our military establishment--and by "we" I mean humans. Still crawling forward out of the primordial ooze. And now I'm going to finish watching the excellent movie which gave rise to this realization.

I respect Christopher Plummer, playing against his typical villainous character, and he is very convincing as a concerned scientist. The supporting cast is very good also. The plot alludes to "Frankenstein" numerous times and is obviously hinged on that classic tale. There is no excitement in this movie. It is so laid back, especially Arthur Hill, Plummers adversary, that you begin to drift off early and often. Cerebral sci-fi doesn't have to be this boring (see "Enemy Mine"), and while the acting is totally acceptable, everything lacks excitement, and just drifts along towards a conclusion that was only a minor surprise. Not recommended. - MERK

'THE FUTURE IS NOT FRIENDLY' intones the cover. While this may or may not be true, the movie is set in 1983. I suppose that being suckered into buying this bargain DVD at Wal-Mart in 2005 is the unfriendly future they were referring to.

The cover art is a lie. There are no skeletal Terminator-style robots with red eyeballs in this movie. The android guy wears a white turtleneck and is less threatening than Star Trek's Data, and he doesn't do anything interesting. He's a wuss. This movie is crap.

If you are responsible for the marketing of this DVD, you should be ashamed of yourself.