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A.I. Discussion
I watched this for the first time last night and I must say what a hauntingly beautiful movie this is. I picked it up months ago since I found it $11 new but never got around to watching it. I did know that there were so many complaints about the ending, so I was prepared for it whil watching and I must say "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" I was totally expecting some sugar coated happy sappy ending with all the whining I head and what there really was was a surreal bittersweet, melancholy ending. I'm really curious as to what people thought was wrong with the ending? Was it because he got his wish, so to speak? He got to spend one day with his mother, but then what? Did he become real? He did fall asleep, so if that's the case, he's now a real boy and alone in a world of ice with aliens. Yes very happy indeed. Or what, he got his wish but now he's still a mecha and the only one left, with only strange aliens for company, and the eternal mind of a child.. hmm..
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A lot of people felt the movie had a natural ending when it fades to black after the robot boy traps the sub-chopper at the bottom of the ocean.
While I admit that the ending can seem a bit taked on and superfluous, and that it is a bit out of character with the rest of the film, it provides a nice ending to the character arc, and I like it. I also like the way that "circles" or "completion" seems to be an underlying theme with this movie, and the extra bit at the end ties in nicely. |
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Originally posted by einTier A lot of people felt the movie had a natural ending when it fades to black after the robot boy traps the sub-chopper at the bottom of the ocean. While I admit that the ending can seem a bit taked on and superfluous, and that it is a bit out of character with the rest of the film, it provides a nice ending to the character arc, and I like it. I also like the way that "circles" or "completion" seems to be an underlying theme with this movie, and the extra bit at the end ties in nicely. |
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***Warning Spoilers***
I thought it should have ended when the boy said "Mommy" and took the plunge off the ledge. A down ending would have been much better. Like Dante said in Clerks, "It would have been so much more like real life."
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i dunno if this thread is gonna get locked or not, but anyways-
i think the 'aliens' are actually supposed to be the evolved mecha. at least thats what i've heard supposited elsewhere. also, while the ending did seem superfluous, the bigger problem that i had with the movie the first time was Spoiler:
not a perfect film, but very interesting for its achievments and its flaws. i was thinking about this the other day as i saw a commercial for Minority Report. a movie i enjoyed more in the theater, but afterwards upon reflection, have more problems with than AI. |
Maybe it's because I just don't get the ending, but I liked it right up to where he met the man who created him. I really did expect it to end not too long after that. Him being with his "dad" and all that. I think it just rambled after that. I'll probably sell my copy of it.
On a different note, I'll probably try to find the book/story and see how it ends. |
Originally posted by elektra On a different note, I'll probably try to find the book/story and see how it ends. |
Re: ***Warning Spoilers***
Originally posted by tdirgins I thought it should have ended when the boy said "Mommy" and took the plunge off the ledge. A down ending would have been much better. Like Dante said in Clerks, "It would have been so much more like real life." Ending it there would not have accomplished anything because we already know he can't drown. |
Re: Re: ***Warning Spoilers***
Originally posted by pixyboi Down Ending does not equal Good Ending. |
Re: Re: Re: ***Warning Spoilers***
Originally posted by Groucho You obviously are not between the ages of 16 and 22. |
Watch this film as a fairy tale told by mechas to other mechas in the future, and it all makes sense. The problem is that you need to watch it twice to "get it" if you don't understand why the last part is not only needed, but it's vital to the tale being told.
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Originally posted by ckolchak i dunno if this thread is gonna get locked or not, but anyways- i think the 'aliens' are actually supposed to be the evolved mecha. at least thats what i've heard supposited elsewhere. Spoiler:
If you look at the end in a different light, Spoiler:
That's my take on the ending. It's extremely bittersweet and much more than it appears on it's face. [/spoiler] |
I have a really dumb question here. If we are in a thread titled AI Discussion, which means were are discussing this movie, why are there spoilers? Isn't that a bit much?
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Re: Re: Re: ***Warning Spoilers***
Originally posted by Groucho You obviously are not between the ages of 16 and 22. it's true, a down ending does not = good, however, with this film, the image of David eternally petioning the blue fairy...eternally hoping, eternally expecting- does say something about the human condition (although in a by now somewhat expected/cliched rod serlingesque way) i waffled when i first post, Elektra. yes a disscusion of the film does inherently imply spoilers. i won't be using them from here on out. einTier, i dunno about that intrepretation, but if it works for you... |
That's what I was thinking, discussion of movie means, you're discussing the content of the movie and if you haven't seen it and don't want anything given away, don't go in the thread!
Also, I thought again, that it could have ended with him in the copter staring at the Blue Fairy. Chock me up as one who thought the evolved mechas were aliens. Is this an assumption based on content of the movie (only saw it once a while ago), or is there more of a clue they are mechas? |
Originally posted by elektra I have a really dumb question here. If we are in a thread titled AI Discussion, which means were are discussing this movie, why are there spoilers? Isn't that a bit much? It's also probably just a habit for some people. ckolchak... it's been a while since I'd seen this movie, but in addition to her grief over the "loss" of her son, I thought there was a moment when he did reach her on an emotional level and he stopped seeming like such a creepy robot and more like a chance at having another little boy. |
The simulation argument is interesting.. it would explain why he was able to cry and fall asleep at least.
Also, did anybody else think that David being given to Monica. his life with the family (ie: accidents and the Pinochio story-reading) and her "letting him go" into the world might have been an elaborate setup by Dr Hobby to see if David would embark on his journey to realize his "dream"? I read the thread that Patman linked and nobody mentioned that theory and it's something I tought of while reading it.. when somebody mentioned how they couldn't beielve Monica would just "let him go" like that.. Hmm.. |
If you watch it as evolved mechas at the end, I think the ending works.
I liked this excellent, flawed movie. |
How about the evolved mechas telling the entire story? I need to check it out, but somebody did mention that a reflection or something form the start of the movie was of those mecha, and the opening narration was the same voice as the mecha that talked to David at the end.
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Originally posted by pixyboi How about the evolved mechas telling the entire story? I need to check it out, but somebody did mention that a reflection or something form the start of the movie was of those mecha, and the opening narration was the same voice as the mecha that talked to David at the end. |
A few things.
1) Those are definitely highly evolved mechas at the end. Aliens do not exist in the universe of this film, they have never been mentioned nor hinted at previously in the film. They are nth generation mechas who found this relic, David, of their past while looking for their creator, Dr. Hobby, who they only know as The Creator. David is the closest they will ever get to Dr. Hobby. 2) My theory on the ending: Not only did the advanced mechas not really clone David's "mother", they didn't even create a simulacra, they only created a sort of virtual reality for David. Notice how hazy everything is in this version of the house compared to the actual house in the beginning of the film. A somewhat ambivalent, truly melancholic ending, and the one Kubrick wanted. 3) Did anyone else notice the simularities between the advanced mechas at the end and the first shot we see of David when he is standing in the elevator, bathed in harsh white light? The lack of focus of the camera gives the illusion he has an elongated head and long skinny neck, much like the mechas at the end. |
I love A.I.
There. I said it. -Rich |
Damn! This means I'll have to rewatch it a second time to see if I have truly missed something. Like I said earlier, I did like the beginning of the film. I find it was immensly creative.
Blade - you're such a pappa smurf! :) Uhhh, except you don't look like a blue hairball that the cat coughed up. |
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