A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001] - 2 disc set [DVD]

This has to be a contender for one of the most disturbing films of all time. This is because it addresses a central question of existence - what is love? Can it be created? Does it have to be earned? Is it it always unquestioning? The answers it comes up with are painful and incredibly sad. Ironically, I don't believe this film is about 'what happens if we make machines too human?' just as pinnochio wasn't about how we would feel if wood could talk. The main subject was that of belonging and identity. How far would one go to be approved of? Would you change yourself completely to be loved? (in the case of David from a robot to a boy - and it wasn't his fault he was a robot). What if the changes and sacrifices you made were not enough? Some have said that the ending to this film was too fairy tale like. I disagree; it also was profoundly sad. It highlighted that despite the lengths to which we might go for love/approval, it is all still impermenant. Tragedy in the extreme, but thought provoking and moving.

Is it science fiction or a philosophical exploration? My favourite Spielberg movie is both a visual delight and an intellectual feast.

It is essential to begin at the beginning. The world created by the film-makers is due to the excess of consumption of the human species. The issue is often packaged to sell political support. More power for some and less for others. In A.I. the consequences of rising sea levels are clearly expressed. Cities have disappeared. But technology still prospers.

Love is packaged in the shape of a boy. Unquestioning real love. But how many parents treat their boys and girls like toys? This is the heart of the movie. Uneasy viewing for the conscious parent.

The boy's journey to find the way to become real takes us to another level. A robot being rational and learning about its own motivation. Learning how to fight. To hold hands. Gaining intuition. And all the time I realised that he was becoming more human than the humans destroying things around him. Our consumer psyche has eroded the caring instinct. We produce and consume far more than we need in order to provide the essentials of life: food, water, clothes, heating and shelter. The balance is wrong. The craving for power is measured by money.

I first saw A. I. on the 21st September 2001 at a cinema. The ticket lies in the jacket of the 2002 dvd. Now I view it flat-screen but with the kind of depth which only wisdom can hope to provide. I am eleven years older and still have no urge to raise children. Not just because the world is out of balance but for the sake of my own sense of equilibrium. I believe in what is natural and real. Everything matters. Everybody is important. Whilst the politicians prattle-on in broad sweeps of social rhetoric, I know that it is details which matter. Funnelling massive amounts of resources into Armies and weaponry is at the cost of prosperity for every individual. Nobody talks of full employment, only 'our best interests.' The Blue Fairy runs this satellite covered planet. Can you recall the last intelligent conversation you had? We are being separated from our instincts.

A.I. is a futuristic fairy-tale, an enchanting story of a boy mechanoid ("mecha") called David who embarks on a journey because he wants to be loved by the woman he calls his mother. With parallels to the story of Pinocchio, Spielberg takes us on a spellbinding exploration of love, hate, friendship, prejudice and ultimately what it is to be human, and what it is to be without humanity.

Told in three vastly different acts, the story takes us from somewhat familiar home settings, through the grittiness of the Flesh Fair; the glamour, glitz and sleaze of Rouge City; to a final half hour in the most imaginative and dreamlike vision of the distant future.

This film communicates on many levels, and is held together by a gloriously unique concept, a cast of interesting and well-portrayed characters (including excellent cameos by Robin Williams, Ben Kingsley and Meryl Streep), a simple and beautiful musical score by John Williams that - for a change, had me guessing for a while and didn't sound like Williams at all - and excellent visual direction by Spielberg.

While it must be said that I found the first 50 minutes unnecessarily slow-paced, and not entirely successful in conveying the emotions and motives of David's parents, the last two acts more than make up for this imbalance. The character of Teddy, a semi-intelligent robotic soft toy who is essentially playing the part of David's conscience, also has a vital role of stitching together the broken scenes, smoothing out the storyline, and adding moments of much needed comedy.

Every time I watch A.I., I come away with a new message, another meaning in the story I hadn't spotted before, and it never fails to fill my eyes with tears at the end. The finale is pure magic, and can only be appreciated in context with the first two acts.

It is a tragedy that Kubrick, the great film visionary revered by Spielberg and who had wanted to make this movie for over 10 years, died before it could be made - although Spielberg incorporated many of his concepts and worked closely with his production company. For once, Spielberg avoided being over-sentimental, having struck a fine balance between emotion and reason, and I think has succeeded in bringing to life a story that is as accessible and relevant for adults as it is for children. I believe he would have made Kubrick proud, and it is a fitting dedication to his memory.