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As is often the case with science fiction, Steven Spielberg's futuristic drama is concerned with simple if profound questions. In this case, Spielberg seems to ask, "What is love?" -- and follows up with an even larger issue in a world where artificial life comes closer to reality each day, "Is human love uniquely unlimited?" Whether or not the master filmmaker answers these questions to every viewer's satisfaction, there's no denying that his effort achieves heartrending poignancy. Haley Joel Osment, the young sensation of The Sixth Sense, is deeply affecting as "David," a technically sophisticated "mecha" (robot) companion programmed to look, think, and even feel like an 11-year-old boy. David's circuitry is so advanced that he actually believes he loves his adoptive mother (beautifully played by Frances O'Connor), who tries hard to reciprocate but eventually realizes that she can't. This presages a centuries-long odyssey for the indestructible David, cast out of the only home he's ever known and determined to some day secure the love he so inexplicably craves. Based on a short story by Brian Aldiss, originally developed for the screen under the auspices of Stanley Kubrick, A.I. was brought to fruition by Spielberg, whose uncharacteristically stately direction suggests Kubrick far more than it does the man who gave us Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Saving Private Ryan. Modernistic sets, gadgetry, and special effects are skillfully employed to sustain the illusion of a not-too-distant future, but the core of A.I. is pure emotion. The deeply affecting performances of Osment and O'Connor are supplemented with memorable supporting turns by Jude Law (as a robotic gigolo) and William Hurt (a visionary scientist). At various points this movie will bemuse, confuse, and perhaps even outrage you -- but it will evoke feelings so powerful that you'll want to revisit it over and over again. The DVD offers two making-of documentaries featuring interviews with Spielberg, Osment, and Law. Additionally, there are three segments devoted to specific aspects of production, including a visit to the special-effects studios of Stan Winston and George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic. Multiple trailers, storyboards, and hundreds of photographs round out this highly collectable package. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Based on the 1969 short story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, by Brian Aldiss, this science fiction fantasy bears similarities to Pinocchio (1940) and originated as a long-gestating project of director Stanley Kubrick that passed to his friend Steven Spielberg after Kubrick's death. Haley Joel Osment stars as David, a "mecha" or robot of the future, when the polar ice caps have melted and submerged many coastal cities, causing worldwide starvation and human dependence upon robotic assistance. The first mecha designed to experience love, David is the "son" of Henry (Sam Robards), an employee of the company that built the boy, and the grief-stricken Monica (Frances O'Connor). David is meant to replace the couple's hopelessly comatose son, but when their natural child recovers, David is abandoned and sets out to become "a real boy" worthy of his mother's affection. Along the way, David is mentored by a pleasure-providing mecha named Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) and a talking "super toy" bear named Teddy. His adventures take him to the Roman Circus-style "Flesh Fair," where mechas are destroyed for the amusement of humans; Rouge City, where Gigolo Joe narrowly avoids capture by police; and finally a submerged New York City, where David's creator, Professor Hobby (William Hurt) reveals the secrets of the boy's creation. Brendan Gleeson and narrator Ben Kingsley co-star in A.I., which was adapted from Kubrick's treatment by Spielberg, in his first crack at screenwriting since Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Karl Williams

New York Times

A.I. is the best fairy tale -- the most disturbing, complex and intellectually challenging boy's adventure story -- Mr. Spielberg has made. A.O. Scott

Product Details

• UPC: 667068988529
• Source: DREAMWORKS VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 2:25:00
• Sales Rank: 29,389

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