Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT As Sci-fi movies begin to revolve more and more around the future of AI, AKA artificial intelligence, it's important to remember that not all of these stories make AI the villain. Most sci-fi narratives capitalize on the audience's anxieties, and AI is the cause of intense debate as there's fear surrounding AI taking over, especially in creative endeavors.
10 Blade Runner 2049 Directed by Denis Villeneuve Close In believing that he is human, he has taken the necessary steps to assert his free will. Though one of the movie's villains is AUTO, the AI autopilot function on the spaceship where the remains of humanity live, he only does what he was programmed to do. A long time ago, when AUTO was created, he was coded to prevent humans from returning to Earth, ensuring prosperity for the company that built the ship. The true testament to sentience are WALL-E and EVE, who are much more compelling than their human counterparts in the story.
Additionally, he's a consistent source of comedic relief, and his exchange with Cooper about honesty in human communication is surprisingly poignant. The recurrence of lying to protect loved ones is prevalent in Interstellar, and it's TARS who explains this theme to the audience. By the time Cooper is recused, millions of miles away from Amelia, TARS has made it to the end with him and will come with him in his next mission to find Amelia and the new human colony.
Though Steven Spielberg's best movie about overcoming differences in origins and forming human bonds is inarguably E.T., A.I. Artificial Intelligence is emotionally devastating from start to finish. Haley Joel Osment is incredible in his performance as David, a prototype of a robotic child with the ability to love. However, it doesn't take long for him to be rejected by his family, which sends him on an Odyssey-like quest to become truly human.
Overall, Short Circuit doesn't push the boundaries of what AI is capable of or make any comments on the future of technology, but it's a fun, lighthearted story. One of the most unique parts of the story is how Johnny 5 is the true protagonist of the story. Sheedy and costar Steve Guttenberg were secondary players. Additionally, Short Circuit positions the scientists who attempt to subdue and take in Johnny 5 as the villains, which is a fun subversion of the genre.