I haven’t seen this movie since the theaters and, alas, I’m not 100% sure it holds up.
I remember defending this movie quite a bit back in the day – but on second viewing I see there are a lot of problems. The script is uneven, maybe even meandering. There actually isn’t that much “excitement” during the Act II Odyssey and, frankly, I don’t think that much of the world-building makes a whole heckuva lot of sense.
What’s to like? The core questions at the heart of the film, of course, and the special effects. 10 years later and most of the robot shots still look impressive.
Lastly, I will always salute this film for having enormous balls. It states “robot wants love” and just goes with it. It is a forceful and straightforward narrative – kid won’t give up. For 2000 years in the ocean, he won’t give up. Gotta respect that.
