fairygirl411

This is, well, a silly movie. The script is terrible, even if you look at it as a movie for kids. And that's another thing -- it's geared towards kids, and yet I'm not sure this is a movie I'd show to kids. It's extremely violent and concerns a highly traumatic situation involving young children -- not to mention that the hero is a juvenile delinquent (NOT the misunderstood kind) who wins out by playing all sorts of illegal tricks. In fact, his actions are very much glorified by the fact that he can "mastermind" the "real" criminals, as well as by his constant, triumphant little asides. Oh -- and if you're only interested in this movie because you're a Vincent Kartheiser fan, don't bother. This is not what I'd call one of his best performances.

I was surprised. I hated AI, and I thought Spielberg was heading downhill into bad science fiction. Not Friday-Night-Movie-Funtime bad -- just bad. But this was good science fiction, because there was more to it than just science. Cool gismos and car-chases in space-age Lexuses don't hurt it any, but this movie really has something for everyone. A realistic Constitutional debate, philosophical questions of determinism and free-will, symbolism that avoids complete cheesiness, great comic relief, lots of fast-paced action, good casting. Setting it in a world that we can recognize made it almost disturbing in that it was all the more plausible. The very evident dark side of the hero gave it depth. I'd watch this again and again -- I bet I'd keep finding new angles, new things to think about. And the special effects are great.

I loved this movie -- sure it was silly and improbable and had a lot of gratuitous violence. But it's SUPPOSED to. It has no pretentions, and is just as it's advertised -- a roaring good time. It's hilariously funny, Will Smith has perfect comic timing, and the aliens are cool. And great music. Besides, it's worth it just to see Michael Jackson playing an alien.