An android child programmed to love its owners embarks on a journey to become a real boy.
A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) is a project with a long history, one that legendary director Stanley Kubrick worked on for 25 years until his death in 1999. Adapted from a short story by writer Brian Aldiss, Kubrick's idea expanded the plot into a futuristic retelling of Pinocchio. Various writers and artists (including Aldiss himself) worked on the script, design, and special effects over the years, and it was not until Steven Spielberg's film Jurassic Park was released that Kubrick felt technology had caught up with his vision. Having formed a friendship with Spielberg, at one point Kubrick offered to produce the film with his younger protege directing.
Kubrick's death right before the release of his film Eyes Wide Shut left the A.I. project in limbo, until his widow Christiane and long-time producing partner Jan Harlan approached Spielberg with the idea of completing the work himself. Spielberg decided to make it his next film, and used all available materials and wrote the screenplay, his first since Close Encounters of the Third Kind over 20 years earlier.
Haley Joel Osment, a rising star after his role in The Sixth Sense, was cast as the android David, with other roles going to Jude Law and William Hurt. Voice talent was supplied by Meryl Streep, Robin Williams, Ben Kingsley, Chris Rock, and Jack Angel. Behind the camera, Spielberg utilized his stable of seasoned collaborators, including Oscar winners John Williams (musical score), Janusz Kaminski (cinematography), and Michael Kahn (editing). In keeping with Kubrick's tradition, the film was shot under a veil of secrecy, with information about the production kept to a minimum before release.
A.I. did decent business at the box office and received positive-to-mixed reviews, some critics admiring Spielberg's efforts to emulate Kubrick's style and others feeling that the two directors' sensibilities did not mesh well. Regardless, the film stands as Spielberg's most ambitious work to date, from a story as well as technical perspective.
Film runs approx. 2 hrs, 15 min.
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