The love child of Blade Runner and Pinocchio If you took Blade Runner and crossed it with Pinocchio, and slapped Kubrick's style on it, you'd end up with AI. The problem is that AI is not as good as Blade Runner or Pinocchio, and after the hype and gushing reviews that have surrounded it, it is a colossal disappointment. The story, of the young robot child David, has numerous plot gaps. As I was watching it, I started to think that I must have been disappearing into a parallel dimension every five minutes, then coming back having missed an idea being fully explored or a plot device being explained. The fact that the film kept missing parts out was almost a relief, as not since the English Patient had I been so acutely aware of having numb butt cheeks and wanting to take a stroll outside before the end. The story is about the young robot child, David (played by The Sixth Sense's startled-rabbit boy Haley Joel Osment). David does not realise that he is a robot. He is rejected by his human 'mother' who cannot accept him, so goes to New York searching for the Blue Fairy (from Pinocchio), and meets his creator - he wants to become a real boy. In 1982, Ridley Scott made Blade Runner, and against a visually stunning backdrop, told the same basic story, only better, when Roy Batty approached Eldon Tyrrel asking for "more life". I cared about Roy Batty, Rick Deckard and Rachael, but in AI, I can only bring myself to care for the Teddy, who alongside the strutting Gigolo Joe (Jude Law on top form), is the main highlight of the film. Haley Joel Osment is very good in his role, portraying as he does a robot that is so convincing as a human that he becomes weirdly over-human. Call me a child though, but I would have liked to see him being put together - it may have re-enforced hisartificiality. Spielberg appears to have been so intent on respecting Kubrick's vision for the film that he forgot to direct it with his own head on - thus the film leans closer to Kubrick than it does to Spielberg. After having seen Eyes Wide Shut and AI, I can't help but think that Kubrick should have called it a day when he directed Full Metal Jacket. Both films, even though Spielberg directed the latter, are disjointed, frustrating and over-indulgent. AI finally loses touch with reality altogether, in a sequence which is reminiscent of the end of 2001. It is almost as if, being presented with such a fantastical sequence, that we should be dumbstruck with awe and ready to fawn over the film. I'd argue that maybe the ending is just daft. AI is an amazing looking film, which reminded me at different times of 2001, Blade Runner, ET, and even Back to the Future II. The SFX are very impressive, but this is to expected. The film is tinged with poignancy when the twin towers of the World Trade Center make an appearance towards the end. AI may well get better with age or further viewings. Maybe Spielberg will release a better cut ten years from now and do for AI what Ridley Scott did for Blade Runner.