Short Circuit

A robot made self-aware after being struck by lightning runs away from the military weapons testing facility where it is set to be disassembled. The robot, called Number 5, meets a woman (Ally Sheedy), who befriends it and tries to help it. As the military hunt for the escaped robot, two scientists (Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens) try to find it first.

A heartfelt sci-fi comedy that's funny, positive, and extremely entertaining. How cool was that robot? Old school effects are remarkable. People built these things by hand, you know? There's just something so much more effective and impressive about that than CGI effects. The cast is really good. Sheedy and Guttenberg are both likable leads. Fisher Steven is a lot of fun. Guttenberg's Police Academy co-star G.W. Bailey plays to type as he did so often in the '80s. Such a fun movie. I had a big goofy grin on my face the whole time I was watching this.

I recently read a review of this movie that trashed it. The reviewer's main reasons for doing so were based on how unrealistic it was. He went on and on about how robots aren't capable of this and that. It made me very sad for him because I know he must not have any friends. If you are reading this and you view Short Circuit the same way that reviewer does, please do yourself a favor -- go out, meet some people, have some adventures, enjoy life. Then come back and watch Short Circuit and see if the stick up your ass is gone yet.

I'm sorry, I can't see why this film has been given such a low rating. This film is wonderfully life-affirming through the character of robot Jonny 5 (the scene where he realises what it means to be alive through crushing a grass hopper is beautifully portrayed), Ally Sheedy brings a bucket load of positive energy to the character of the naive but loving Stephanie, and to top it all there is a subtle but powerful comment on American militarism. There is a real emphasis on quality screen writing here which only comes through on a small ratio of films. The characters could easily have become 2 dimensional stereotypes, but instead given some interesting dialogue and motives (science, military etc). Yes it is cheesy, and I think many people label it as a cheap and tacky 80's movie, but having watched it again recently I think history may well judge it a minor classic.

Short Circuit is an off-the-wall comedy about a series of robots made of the military. They sort of resemble Conky from the old Pee Wee's Play House series. One of the robots, 'Number Five', escapes and finds sanctuary in the home of Stephanie Speck (Allly Sheedy), a nice lady with a soft spot for runaways.

Speck becomes good friends with 'Number Five' who begins to take on a lot of human characteristics, transcending the static life of a robot or the hostile life of a military weapon, which is what the robots were designed for.

Speck learns that Number Five's owners are looking for him, but she knows that the military would only destroy Number Five or terminate the emotional drive that he has developed. Number Five's designer, Newton Crosby (Guttenberg) and his silly assistant Ben Jabituya (Stevens), have yet to appreciate what Number Five has achieved, as a shell of wires and controls able to take on human qualities, but, soon, they too will join Speck in the quest to save 'Number Five.'

Some of it is kind of reminscint of other 80s sci-fi movies like 'Batteries Not Included' and 'E.T.'

There's two issues at work in this movie. The first, and obvious one being about the development of human emotion and would it be possible for anything to gain an understanding and appreciation for it? And the second being the ethics of military useage. Plus, it's your standard 80s love and friendship story. Because of the story and the sharp wit comedy and sarcasm, it's makes for good comedy. I haven't seen the sequel in a long time, but I do remember enjoying it almost as much as the first. I think that's because 'Number Five' is such a funny, loveable robot.

If you like the theme of this movie, I recommend seeing the hilarious comedy, 'Making Mr. Right,' which is about a robot designed for space exploration rather than military use. But, the robot begins to take on human emotions while the owner becomes increasingly more like a robot. (It's from Susan Siedleman, the director of 'Desperately Seeking Susan.')

Short Circuit is a rare case when a robot character makes a film and outshines the rest of the cast in the film.

A military organization that builds weapons known as Nova creates five robots. One of the robots, Number Five, is hit by lightning and as a result is able to become "alive". He escapes from Nova and befriends a woman named Stephanie and begins to gain a lot of "input" and learns a lot. Nova plans on capturing him, but Number Five realizes that he must not get captured in order to remain alive.

First off I have to say that this film is a comedy and much of it should not be taken seriously. By that I mean that the depiction of the military group of Nova constantly bickering and having lame discussions is something that film intended on doing.

The acting and human characters are pretty odd in this film. I can see why Steve Guttenberg is constantly criticized by viewers. He is just a boring not funny guy who makes robots in this film. Ally Sheed plays Stephanie, a really naive and not that intelligent veterinarian. Also the character of Ben being a Caucasian who speaks like an Indian Person is something that I think is pretty funny, if not a bit racist as well. But for the most part the human characters are not special at all and completely overshadowed.

They attempt to make a love story with Guttenberg and Sheed's character. However it comes off as rushed and horrible and I did not buy it. If anything the romance with Number five and Stephanie is much more convincable.

The reason for this film being good is Number Five. Number Five is one of the greatest robot characters ever in a film. Hilarious, intelligent, and highly entertaining. He can do anything. It is quite interesting seeing him gain input and learn a lot about the world. It is not common for a robot to steal the show and make a movie good just by itself, but this is one case where that happens and the film is good because of it.

Quite an interesting film. Lame acting and human characters. However a great character in Number Five. I recommend this film to viewers because of Number Five.

I haven't seen Short Circuit for some time now, but it is such a huge milestone in my childhood that I have to say something about it. Maturer audiences will have a hard time overlooking some of the childish nuances of the movie, but it is such a fun and entertaining family film that all of those things can be easily forgiven. It reminds me of other wonderful family films like Flight of the Navigator and The Goonies, that I used to watch over and over when I was a kid. I feel like I've lost something when I can't think of a single movie now that I love so much that I will watch it a few times a week. Maybe I just am more aware of the time involved in watching the same movie over and over today than I used to be.

Johnny 5 is a robot designed for military use until one day it's struck by lightning and, apparently, comes to life. This is a pretty tired formula, something man-made suddenly displaying life-like qualities and wanting to be recognized as a real boy, but it's accompanied by some clever messages about the advancement of technology, particularly technology designed to replace humans, which has always been seen as a bit of a dangerous idea, criticized brilliantly by everyone from Charlie Chaplin to James Cameron.

Johnny 5's adventures involve his efforts to avoid capture by the people who made him ("NOVA! No!!"), while at the same time trying to prove to the world that he's a living entity now. They could not make a movie like this today. Sadly, CGI has forever replaced the need to create a physical robot like the one that plays Johnny 5 in this movie, so any Short Circuit that was made today would just be some soul-less digital effect cavorting across the screen, instantly forgettable. But here, he's really there, and he's heavy and clumsy and metallic, but so memorable as a movie character that I've recently read that the actual robot prop was sold for something like $500,000. Now THAT is a fan!

Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy have a cute chemistry on screen that is satisfactorily simple. They are both cookie-cutter caricatures, Sheedy the lonely Stephanie, who drives an ice-cream truck for a living, and Guttenberg plays a scientist named Newton, who works for the evil NOVA but who only needs a cute ice-cream lady and a charming robot to change his evil ways.

Sound like fun? No? Well, it is, trust me. The film has definitely dated, but I'll take special effects that look dated 20 years later over expensive CGI that never looked real in the first place any day. A lot of films claim to be fun for all ages, but Short Circuit is one of the few that really is. It's too bad that movies like this seem to be gone forever now….