Rating of
4/4
A Masterpiece
Franz Patrick - wrote on 05/09/08
I remember watching this film when I was about thirteen years old and I instantly fell in love with it. I own the DVD and whenever I watch it with people, they either love it or hate it, so I almost always prefer to watch it alone. Those that belong in the latter category claim that it's unreasonably long, depressing from start to finish, and not having a lot of action scenes (this bit really bothers me). I love this movie because it is a total stylistic hybrid of two of my favourite directors, Steven Spielberg (who provides light and hope) and Stanley Kubrick (who provides edge and darkness). If I were to divide the film into three parts, I would say the first and the third part werw Spielberg's forte. The middle part is Kubrick to the core... but it is not fully realized because he did not get to helm it. Hence, I think that's the weakness of this minor masterpiece. Still, there are a lot to recommend: the visual effects, the moral conundrum regarding the relationship between humans and machines, and the overall message when it comes to the capacity to chase after one's dreams. I actually prefer my science fiction films as insightful ("2001: A Space Odyssey") instead of adrenaline-fueled ("The Core") but a bit of both is refreshing ("Children of Men"). I believe that this is Haley Joel Osment's best performance because of the way he changed from having a robotic personality to having a completely human-like drive and heart. There are many undertones that can be found in this film with repeated viewings as well. I think this is one of Spielberg's best work because he is able to craft a story with a great balance of imagination, intelligence, and heart.
