Playing a robot who wants to be a man, Robin Williams Hallmark-cards his way through shopworn territory readily familiar to anyone who has heard of Pinocchio, the Tin Man who needs a heart, or Commander Data, in this mawkish, cliché-riddled story. Directed by the emotionally overbearing Chris Columbus (Stepmom, Mrs. Doubtfire), this sugar-coated adaptation of Isaac Asimov/Robert Silverberg's The Positronic Man, covers 200 years in 131 minutes, so Columbus is forced to be even more simplistic than usual and can't stick around long enough to give any moment of the film genuine life. After establishing Andrew's unprogrammed individuality, the picture kicks into plotless fast-forward, pausing for a few scenes every couple decades in Andrew's quest to become human. Appreciable only by those who aren't already fed up with Williams' tears-of-a-clown routine, this is not a necessary purchase. (R. Blackwelder)
Bicentennial Man
Touchstone, 131 min., PG, VHS: $106.99, DVD: $32.99, June 13 Vol. 15, Issue 3
Bicentennial Man
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: