Review of Bicentennial Man (1999) by Stuart K — 18 Apr 2010

Based on Isaac Asimov's novella of the same name and The Positronic Man, co-written by Asimov and Robert Silverberg. This sci-fi drama had director Chris Columbus and Robin Williams reunite after Mrs.

Doubtfire (1993). It's an ambitious film, with good ideas and it's well made. But it lacks the dark heart it so obviously craves. It begins in 2005, where Richard Martin (Sam Neill) has bought a robot called Andrew (Williams) to do housekeeping and other chores.

He becomes a welcome addition to the Martin household, and has a good bond with the youngest daughter Amanda (Hallie Kate Eisenberg), who Andrew calls Little Miss, and Andrew develops a personality and becomes well educated and makes things.

Even after the first generation of the Martin family dies out, Andrew keeps in contact with their granddaughter of Amanda (Embeth Davidtz). Andrew even upgrades himself to have human features, and he wants to complete the next step, become 100% human.

It's not as bad as what some of the critics originally said about it, but nor crucially is it as good as it should be. Despite a good visual take on the future, it does slip into maukishness, (typical with alot of Williams' films at that time).

When it comes to Asimov adaptations, I, Robot (2004) got the robot thing down much better, and as for a robot wanting to be human. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) got that better than this did.