It is the not too distant future, and global warming has resulted in the flooding of coastal cities including New York. In this society, robots - or `mechas` as they`re called, have become commonplace as servants - but Professor Hobby, William Hurt, a visionary scientist at Cybertronics Manufacturing, has come up with the idea of a robot child who can love his human parents. The first test case is David, Haley Joel Osment, who is `adopted` by a Cybertonics employee, Henry, Sam Robards, and his wife, Monica, Frances O` Connor, their own son, Martin, has been cryogenically frozen until a cure can be found for his illness. David loves his mother - but when Martin returns home, cured, sibling rivalry erupts - and David - not much more than a toy or a pet, really, is abandoned to his fate, determined to find the legendary Blue Fairy who, in the story of Pinocchio, made that wooden hero into a real boy....A.I. is a totally fascinating blend of the talents of the late Stanley Kubrick, who nurtured the project for years, and Steven Spielberg. Based on the Brian Aldiss story Supertoys Last All Summer Long, which refers to the amazing Teddy bear given to David, it`s a film which embraces themes beloved of both directors. The early scenes are pure Spielberg - the family, the boy, the need for love. But about a third into the film the story enters a much darker, more Kubrickian world, a grim and ugly place which makes this not a film for small children. And then there`s a wonderful final third, which touches on some of the most magical sci-fi themes since 2001: A Space Odyssy. Haley Joel Osment is perfectly cast as the beautiful child who isn`t human; Jude Law is impressive as a mecha sex machine, and Frances O`Connor shines in the plum role of the mother. This is a haunting film, a film of magic and mystery which poses questions about all sorts of issues - it`s a film you`ll want to see more than once.
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