Intelligent, Ambitious Art

A.I. Artificial Intelligence Dir: Steven Spielberg Starring Haley Joel Osment Jude Law Frances O'Conner 2001 PG-13, 145 m RATING: 8 out of 10

ROBOT BEING: A robot boy attempts to become human to earn his mother's love in this , dark, ambitious film from Steven Spielberg.

Perhaps the most interesting, fascinating, and frustrating thing in Steven Spielberg's and posthumous Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi drama A.I. is watching the two directors' visions clash onscreen: the dark, somber creeping of Kubrick and the family-film, goodness, and optimism of Spielberg intertwine in such a smooth manner, it's bound to leave audiences baffled and not liking the film.  In fact, it's this schizophrenic tone that makes A.I. a better film than it should be. The story is reminiscent of Robin William's 1999 sappy outing, Bicentennial Man, in which a robot goes on a quest to become a human; the difference is that here there are no easy answers.  A.I. takes place in a future when robotic servants are commonplace.  Haley Joel Osment (in a role that will surely garner him awards), plays a robot boy created with the unique ability to love.  When he is abandonded by his parents in the woods (in a particularly heart-rending scene), he is left alone and embarks on a quest to become a real boy, in order to regain his mother's love. Spielberg poses many questions on the meaning of love and life, and thankfully he does not present neat and tidy answers.  There are numerous times the film seems to be on the verge of mis-stepping and turning didatic or sugar-coated, but it remains somber and never indulges in either preachiness or shameless emotional milking.  It never panders to the audience with simple solution as to the relationship between machines and their makers.  While the film is symapthetic to the robot characters, it doesn't make out the creators to be monsters toying with nature.  Visually, the filmmakers creates some astonishing set pieces, imagery, and sequences, including a breahtaking view of New York halfway submerged in water and Coney Island under the sea.  The surreal special effects are aided by ghastly makeup effects as well as striking, barren, desolate set designs. A.I. is easily Spielberg's most complex movie to date, as well as the summer's most intelligent and challenging film amidst loud, abrasive action films and money-hungry sequels.  Fans of film will no doubt be entranced by Haley Joel Osment's performance and the bleak story, but also by two masters of filmmaking on opposite ends of the spectrum combining their skills in this provocative amalgam.

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