You are what you choose to be

Rating: 10/10 (9 August 1999)

Some people might perceive this as a mild spoiler as I discuss the plot and internal themes...
Quite a surprise. This was one of the best movies that I've seen in years. I was especially impressed with the theme, as stated above, that "You are what you choose to be." I perceived it as part E.T., part Short Circuit, and part Terminator 2.
The comic aspect of this film had me in stitches, particulaly the loose hand in the bathroom. It also had a couple of priceless visual references to other films; my favourite being the jittering teacup from Poltergeist.
What came as quite a surprise was that this very capable exploratory, and very lethal war/invasion machine was self-aware. He saw the value of life and made a conscious choice that he did not want to be a destroyer of life. And it was delightful to see that although he had a destructive instinct, he chose to resist it and be what he wanted to be. It thrilled me to no end that he was determined to prove that "I am not a gun."
This movie is a must-see and I thank my five year old son for coaxing me to buy tickets for it.