Review of Bicentennial Man (1999) by Caspar R — 20 Sep 2010
The Bicentennial Man is like a grade-school summary of stories about human nature and robots. I think I've even seen a few of this movie's plot twists in commercials for those dancing Japanese robots!
So maybe I'm a bit of a Sci Fi know-it-all. Fair enough. This movie may actually be new to people that haven't watched 7 years of Data's subtle and thought-provoking development in Star Trek: The Next Generation. It might be new to someone that hasn't seen Blade Runner, asked a question about the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, or at all read the back of an Asimov book. Sadly, if you've seen Spielberg's A.I. you already know too much. If you caught Terminator, you might be far beyond saving.
The fact is, The Bicentennial Man is just a slow, cartoonish retread of everything we thought might happen before we even sat down. Chris Columbus' family-friendly, wide-stroked direction only underscores just how awkward this movie really is.
The Bicentennial Man is a handbook on robots becoming more human -- a handbook that is beyond outdated and completely unnecessary if you can't update it or make it relevant for today's more sophisticated audiences.
This review of Bicentennial Man (1999) was written by Caspar R on 20 Sep 2010.
Bicentennial Man has generally received positive reviews.
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