D.A.R.Y.L.

'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.

This is one of my favorites film ever.It's a very nostalgic film for me because I saw it a lot when I was small,even now that I'm 19,I have the video and I never get bored of it. Barret Oliver is just fantastic as Daryl,it's very sad that he stop acting because he was truly talented.Now that films are just about sex,Blood,and more sex it's good to turn to a feel good film like Daryl.I would also like to say that the title song of the film (Somewhere I belong)is very nice and the lyrics go very well with the film. My personal ratings would be 10/10

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.'

Although the script of the film is somewhat incomplete and there are some parts of the film that could be improved; I even found the film quite good, with good actors, good special effects and the history of the film is quite original. Of course it's not the best movie ever (it's a long way from being), but I still liked the movie anyway. Highly recommend.

I love this film and feel it is an underrated classic. Although I am a 90s kid, I am very fond of the movies of the 80s, Amadeus, Clue, Back to the Future, Indianna Jones, Beetle Juice, ET, Annie, Secret of NIMH, NeverEnding Story, Stand By Me, Legend, Princess Bride and Who Framed Roger Rabbit to name a few. D.A.R.Y.L has very nice cinematography, colourful sets and costumes without being too fancy and good special effects, while the soundtrack is cool. I liked the script too, it was funny and heart-warming and the story was engaging and poignant as well as briskly paced. The direction I had no problem with either, while the acting is fine especially with Barrett Oliver who is simply wonderful in the lead. Overall, I think D.A.R.Y.L is a classic, and one of the most underrated films of the 80s if not ever. 10/10 Bethany Cox