Rating: 
Summary: An Instant Wonderful Sci-Fi Classic.
Review: A family of Four (Sam Neill, Wendy Crewson, Hallie Kate Eisenberg & Lindze Letherman) recieve a new NDR-114 Robot named Andrew (Oscar-Winner:Robin Williams) initially purchased as a Family Companion and Servant. But when he becomes unusaully close with the Family, also he become Creative with his Imaginative Mind. Andrew becomes to begin to Expiernce Emotions and Caring for One and Other. His Quest is become Human as Real, as anyone, he has meet in his life to becoming Human. From being a Robot to Cyborg to Human to acheive his goal.Directed by Chris Columbis (Adventures in Babysitting, Step Mom, Harry Potter) made a Smart, Clever and Often Funny, Original Science-Fiction film. Robin Williams delivers a touching performance, which it`s has become a Underrated Movie. The Film did Recieve an Oscar Nominated for Best Make-Up. A Box Office Disappointment in Theaters in the Winter of 1999 but this did better on Video. This film has a terrific Supporting Performances from:Neill, Embeth Davidtz and Oliver Platt. Based on the Novel by Issac Asimov and Robert Silverberg-The Positronic Man. Also Asimov wrote a Short Story from the Film`s Title. Screenplay by Nicholas Kazan (Fallen). DVD`s has an clean anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Don`t miss this one, a Winning film. Grade:A.
Rating:
Summary: Smart, funny, touching sci-fi film.
Review: Director Chris Columbus(Mrs Doubtfire) did fine job making this soon to be classic film about a robot who learning slowly to be a human. Robin Williams(What Dreams May Come) gives one of his best performance as Andrew, He played the android who lived among the family Martin. His master Richard Martin(Played by Sam Neill) teach him about being human and also Andrew self-thought himself also by reading books and working on his original work of art, by using the old technique. (...) The film is based on a short story by sci-fi writer Issac Asimov. Screenplay by Nicolas Kazan(Fallen) and Great make-up effects by Greg Cannon(Bram Stoker`s Dracula). Nice CGI effects by Dream Quest Images(The Abyss, Total Recall). Actress Embeth Davidtz is best know from her first film called:Army of Darkness, where she played Sheila and she landed on a supporting role in Schindler`s List. Great score by James Horner(Aliens, Titanic, The Perfect Storm). Fine performances from Williams(The Best of Times), Neill(In the Mouth of Madness), Davidtz(Army of Darkness) and Platt(Lake Placid). Grade:A.
Rating:
Summary: Warm and Fuzzy Robots
Review: Fans of Isaac Asimov are undoubtedly drawn to Bicentennial Man, as very few of the Grand Master's movies were ever made into films. This is definitely a good one. Asimov was not a shoot-em-up kind of storyteller. His characters talk to each other and resolve their disputes in discussion. Commander Data from Star Trek The Next Generation owes a lot to Asimov's creations, and especially to this story, where a robot strives to become like a human being. If the story's premise strikes you as silly, it was just as silly when the story was about a wooden doll or a dead man brought to life in a laboratory. Robin Williams does a commendable job in this film. Those expecting the off-the-wall smart remarks and antics that are his trademark might be disappointed. Williams played this one straight and low-key. The look to this film is remarkable, too. The characters and the world it portrays are distinctly modern, affluent, upper-class. You won't find much grease or grime here, save in the roboticist's laboratory. The buildings get bigger and glossier; the vehicles lose their wheels and start levitating; the costumes get a bit more sleek; but there is nothing here that is too far out. It is a far cry from Blade Runner or Johnny Mnemonic, and is very "clean." I couldn't even tell you if Disney made this, but it has the Disney feel to it; or perhaps the Disney theme park feel to it. Bicentennial Man is most definitely science fiction, but it is also very different from any SF that I have seen on the screen before. Rent it, buy it, keep it for your kids. It's a keeper.
Rating: 
Summary: flawed but rewarding film
Review: Owing to the fact that it is based on an Isaac Asimov story, `Bicentennial Man' turns out to be a more interesting and meaningful film than both its advertising campaign and its own opening section would indicate. The caveat for those seeking out a fun film for the entire family is that this movie, though initially sold as a warm cuddly comedy in the tradition of say `Mrs. Doubtfire,' actually deals with some very heavy and heady issues like sexuality, aging and dying, which may make it less-than-ideal viewing for young children. The first section of the film is, by far, its weakest. In 2005, the wealthy Martin family receives delivery of a brand new servant android (Robin Williams) who, almost immediately, begins to display a remarkable range of human emotions and interests. Thus, we are set up for yet another in a long line of predictable tales (i.e. `Harry and the Hendersons,' `Stuart Little') in which a family comes to adopt a strange, not-quite-human creature, welcoming him in as one of their own. Indeed, in the film's early stages, there is no shortage of either bland humor or drippy sentimentality as Andrew, the android, ingratiates himself with all but one of the Martin household. The `wit' in the film consists, basically, of endless jokes about how Andrew takes all idioms at literal face value, a running gag that is, finally, as unoriginal as it is wearying. Then, however, just as we are about to give up hope in it, the movie becomes more intriguing. Rather than staying within the context of the present life of this one family, the screenplay begins to move ahead in time, exploring Andrew's gradual growth toward total humanity, while the initial family grows up and eventually dies off. Actually, despite how one may feel about the film itself, one must admire its boldness and audacity, for it is not often that, in a film billed as a mass audience comedy, all the main characters pass on to their heavenly reward at one point or another - but, then again, how many comedies span a two hundred year time period? `Bicentennial Man' obviously has more on its mind than mere fish-out-of-water buffoonery, as it becomes an often-elegiac reflection on the transience of life, the meaning of being human and the search for societal acceptance. The mood of the film is remarkably hushed and reflective at times, which again might make it slow going for the modern mass audience more conditioned to a faster pace and giddier tone, especially in a Robin Williams film (though, of late, his films have certainly been taking on a much more somber quality, vide `What Dreams may Come,' `Patch Adams' and `Jakob the Liar'). There are times when `Bicentennial Man' seems overly impressed with its own self-importance, yet one appreciates its refusal to settle for the easy path of cheap comedy and upbeat sentiments. There is, indeed, a real sadness to much of the film. Special acknowledgement should be made of the superb art direction, set design, costume design, makeup and special effects that together give the film its understated and believable futuristic look. In addition, James Horner's melancholic symphonic score, though a bit lubricious at times, does create an atmosphere of contemplative seriousness that perfectly matches the tone and purpose of the film. `Bicentennial Man' may not turn out to be what you are looking for when you first seek it out, but, if you approach it with an open mind and a certain degree of tolerance and indulgence, you may be pleasantly surprised and, perhaps, even rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: An Incrediably Touching Tale
Review: Unbelievable. I saw the previews and thought "it's just another Chris Columbus movie". I didn't plan on seeing it. Then, a few days after it was released, I was talked into it by a friend and though "well, it won't be TOO bad. Robin Williams is always funny". By the end of this movie I was sobbing uncontrollably, uncaring of the packed theater aroud me, unaware of anything else. And I'm a 18 year-old male who claims FIGHT CLUB is his favorite movie! Overall, 3 scenes stand out in my mind as making me sob like I did; The death of Sam Neil's character, the death of 'Little Miss', and finally the scene with Williams and his wife on their death bed (which was the one during which I was sobbing uncontrollably). This film was so incrediably moving that I still, even months and months after it's release, am in awe of it. I really connected with William's charater, I felt his burning desire to become human, to fit in, to experience life and even death. The acting was flawless in every aspect, the music stirring and lyrical, the special effects, that while in service to the story, were still breathtaking, the scope of the story being told suprising. And all of it done without horrid language or violence. See this movie. Ths is a mature Chris Columbus film, not the kiddie flick depicted in the trailers. See it and see what it's like to truely be human.
Rating:
Summary: If only it wasn't spoiled by Hollywood producers!
Review: Let's just get one thing straight here; this movie is one of the most touching films that I've seen in quite a while. I read the wonderful Asimov "short" story before I saw the movie, so I had fairly high expectations of this film. Until, that is, I actually read the little blurb at the back of the video:
"no run-of-the-mill robot!" ?
"a crowd-pleasing comedy hit" ??? Something was wrong here. Surely Hollywood would recognize the extraordinary potential of the story and try to bill it as something more than yet another "light comedy"?! Right? But then, who was I kidding? The back cover makes it look like yet ANOTHER cliche American family film. Exactly the kind of film I'd avoid watching (Nice, huh? The people who'd normally come to see films like this are scared off by the "yet another family comedy" advertising!) That's what Hollywood advertised it as, and I have the feeling that the backers of this film were not very pleased with the director's attempts to make this film into something serious. So they fought back! An extremely annoying dancing "female" robot with a "personality", dumb jokes about sex; all these are attempts to mould this film into the specified Hollywood formula. Thankfully, they do not fully succeed in ruining this film, but they DO keep it from becoming a true classic. Despite these really stupid Hollywood throw-ins, the film still remains primarily an intelligent film, similar in tone to Asimov's stories. It deviates significantly from the story, but surprisingly most of the deviations are not bad, and are well thought-out. There is more humour, too, than in Asimov's stories. Most of it is intelligent, and was actually quite funny to me. The exception, of course, is the scene where Andrew starts following a sexy female robot. Which idiot cooked up this dumb idea?! First of all, he's a ROBOT; he is attracted to people/robots because of their personality, never because of their physical form! Secondly, that female robot defies practically everything that Asimov ever wrote about robots, up to and including the Three Laws of Robotics (she actually defies her owner in one scene, violating the Second Law)! Besides that, the deviations from the story mainly function to make this a film for the heart more than for the head. A typical Hollywood gimmick, but it really works here, especially in the heartwrenching final scene. Even so, I would have liked to see more on the resistance that Andrew encountered when dealing with ordinary human society; a lot of his interactions with the outside world from the story were removed or conveniently skimmed over in the movie, including most of the legal battles and the issue of him still having to obey the Three Laws of Robotics (which are hardly even mentioned in the movie after the first 30 minutes or so, unlike in the book where they were almost a central issue). Overall, this is a better-than average Hollywood film that has been noticeably ruined by "input" from Hollywood producers (this is my guess here). Ideally, this movie should have been given a lot more priority than it was; this IS after all based on one of the best stories of one of the 20th century's most famous science fiction writers! As it is now, it's a shame to see that this movie wasn't brought up to its full potential. 7/10. I'd like to see a director's cut someday...!
Rating:
Summary: An Incrediably Touching Tale
Review: Unbelievable. I saw the previews and thought "it's just another Chris Columbus movie". I didn't plan on seeing it. Then, a few days after it was released, I was talked into it by a friend and though "well, it won't be TOO bad. Robin Williams is always funny". By the end of this movie I was sobbing uncontrollably, uncaring of the packed theater aroud me, unaware of anything else. And I'm a 18 year-old male who claims FIGHT CLUB is his favorite movie! Overall, 3 scenes stand out in my mind as making me sob like I did; The death of Sam Neil's character, the death of 'Little Miss', and finally the scene with Williams and his wife on their death bed (which was the one during which I was sobbing uncontrollably). This film was so incrediably moving that I still, even months and months after it's release, am in awe of it. I really connected with William's charater, I felt his burning desire to become human, to fit in, to experience life and even death. The acting was flawless in every aspect, the music stirring and lyrical, the special effects, that while in service to the story, were still breathtaking, the scope of the story being told suprising. And all of it done without horrid language or violence. See this movie. Ths is a mature Chris Columbus film, not the kiddie flick depicted in the trailers. See it and see what it's like to truely be human.
Rating: 
Summary: 131 Dreadful Minutes of Moralizing
Review: If I could get back the two hours I wasted on "Bicentennial Man" I would be a better man. What sounded like good Robin Williams movie is a bad piece of film work. He acts like a man in a robot suit, even when he finally wears clothes. Starring Robin Williams as Andrew the Android, I expected the movie to have the dramatic excellence he showed in "Awakenings" and "Good Will Hunting." It isn't there. His acting is canned, reeking of predictability. Known for his comedic strength and range of vocalizations, his personality shows up mechanical. The casting director might as well have chosen Anson "Potsie Webber" Williams instead of Robin. The plot of the robot becoming human is old in SF circles. Isaac Asimov gave the screenwriter the same story as seen in many "Outer Limits" and "Twilight Zone" episodes, minus the succinct, intelligent writing that defined both shows. It draws out too long, and tries to carry too many transitions that should have been left in the original novel, "The Positronic Man." "Dances With Wolves," in its 236 minutes, seems shorter than this 131 minute fiasco. One scenes which caused me to cringe was Andrew's preaching to the World Council about what makes a man. John Merrick said it more powerfully in one sentence, "I am a man, not an animal" in "The Elephant Man." Instead, we get a soliloquy by Andrew. Overloaded with morality messages, "Bicentennial Man" tries to tell us that people are different, that not all marriages need be procreative, that laws should be passed to validate the humanity of some people, that big corporations are bad, that artificial implants make for artificial people, and that euthanasia is no big deal. There are a few more statements beyond that had me shaking my head. The ideological cliches presented are akin to "My Favorite Martian," with a dash of the Robot in "Lost in Space," and some portion of "Terminator." The basic theme that humanity is not what we are but who we are is so oversold. By the time the credits came, I felt as if I had an Ayn Rand novel crammed down my throat. Asimov was no Orwell, and his books do not have the depth of thought or layers of intellectual insight about the human condition. Screenwriter Nicholas Kazan did not help the movie as he leaves it coming across like an unedited script. Williams bombs in this one. He is much better in his video where he meets Koko the Gorilla. Anthony Trendl
Rating: 
Summary: I wanted to Love this movie
Review: When I first found out about this movie, I was so excited because it is based off a story, "U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men," by Science Fiction's Robot master, Isaac Asimov. When I discovered that Robin Williams was acting in the lead roll I was overjoyed. With so many elements going for it, however, I was disappointed. Every aspect of the film was flat. Flat script, flat lighting, flat cinematography, typical score, typical effects, silly acting, & flat design. There's very little creativity in what could have been a very emotional & stimulating film. Rarely are we blessed with a science fiction film that focuses more on the human condition than the sci-fi element itself. Although that is exactly what we get here, it's conveyed with the same sense & style as a family sit-com. Not meant to be a formal review, these are just my opinions. I see there are others that really appreciate this film. Please enjoy their reviews & watch the film yourself so that you might share your own impressions.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I am a big fan of Isaac Asimov and this story is one of my favorites! Williams is excellent as a robot who wants to be accepted by society as a person. Oliver Platt steals the movie as a robotics expert who continually "improves" Williams, making him more human each time. Our heart goes out to Williams who continually argues his position in court, hoping to be legally declared a man!
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