The blending between Spielberg's childish sentiment and Kubrick's cold, hard stare is remarkable. It's so expertly made that it takes the breath away. As we'd expect, the extensive effects are virtually seamless. But the surprise is the forceful treatment of the themes--passionate and provocative, yet never pushy or obvious. And there's real drama too, most notably the mother-son stuff, but also in the realistic interplay between the "brothers" and their friends. For once, Spielberg isn't afraid to be gritty and sexy, and he uses reflective camera angles and off-beat production design to stunning effect. He also draws revelatory performances from the entire cast: Osment carries the film with nuance and even more magnetism than in The Sixth Sense. Neither he nor Law (who's very funny and lively) ever cross the line--their mechas are always machines, but they give lovely hints of soul as well. Meanwhile, O'Connor is heartbreakingly authentic, while Hurt brings an intelligent intensity to David's creator, the Geppetto character.

"AI absolutely enchanted me from beginning to end. I had no idea where the narrative was going and was constantly suprised at each turn. The Spielberg/Kubrick atmosphere was positively the most affecting I have had the joy to sit in the dark and absorb, and the visuals were stunning, again producing a unique, dark and beautiful vision of the future. I found nothing akin to Bladerunner in the cityscapes as many reviews have deplored. I am disappointed that so many people just did not get this film and wrongly assumed that the ethereal beings in the last act were aliens; they were simply, and I thought obviously, highly evolved mechas. I cannot wait to own this film on DVD and continue to learn from its craft. In my opinion this is Spielberg's most masterful achievment." --Nick, Charters Towers 11.Jan.02