How we arrived at our grades...

Ever since the release of the Toy Story movies, I've suffered a gnawing guilt over those childhood toys left behind or lost. After watching Short Circuit I'm afraid I'll feel a similar distress when I finally get rid of our clunky, old VCR. Who's to say there's not a spark of life in that antiquated AV appliance or my inanimate playmates?

Short Circuit takes place in the era before the Toy Story neurosis existed. Disco rules, John Travolta is hot for the first time, Moscow is the enemy, and the military is introducing their newest fighting machine: a robotic soldier that can mix drinks and take out an enemy with equal finesse. The creator of these tools of destruction is Newton Crosby (Steve Guttenberg) a computer geek who has spent a good part of his adult life sequestered in a science lab.

During a summer storm, one of his prototypes, Number Five, is jolted to life by an electrical circuit overload. Making a serendipitous escape from Nova headquarters, Number Five lands in the care of Stephanie Speck (Ally Sheedy), the local softy for lost animals. Stephanie's maternal instincts kick in when the fledgling robot asks for input. Using books, pictures and finally the TV, she helps feed Number Five's voracious appetite for information.

Meanwhile, fearing the worst, a full scale military manhunt is initiated under the glowering command of Nova's security chief. Determined to save his design from total destruction, Newton sets out with his lewd-mouthed assistant whose sex-laden comments about women cast a disparaging shadow on the racial group he portrays. As operations are bungled, the security chief is not the only one who resorts to rapid fire profanities and terms of Deity to express his frustrations. Explosions and gunshots during the military's seek and destroy mission and the punch and tackle encounters of Stephanie and her abusive ex may cause concern for some families especially with young children.

Like a precocious preschooler, Number Five starts out full of questions and over time matures into a clever and creative humanoid who uses his "head" to outwit the military. So maybe I wasn't crazy when I accused my vacuum cleaner of have a mind of its own!

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Talk about the movie with your family...

Number Five says that "Life is not a malfunction." What does that mean to you?

After a night of TV watching, Stephanie takes Number Five outside to experience the real world. Discuss how your family can use TV or movies and real life experiences to complement one another.

For another science fiction film involving concealing an "alien", check our review of E.T.

Kerry Bennett

© 2001 One Voice Communications. All Rights Reserved

Making The Grades...

The MPAA rated Short Circuit PG.

Overall: B-
While this film is sometimes funny and Number Five has a definite charm, the sexual references and gun wielding chase sequences may be disturbing for young viewers.

Violence: C+
Name calling, punching, tackling, and swinging of bat between a man and woman. Man and military personnel carry guns. Guns fired, including during military action, chase scenes, and missile explosion.

Sexual Content: B-
Sexual innuendo and rude banter. Woman in tub, no nudity or cleavage shown.

Language: B-
Mild and Moderate profanities including terms of Deity.

Alcohol / Drug Use: B-
Robots shown mixing alcoholic drinks for press release, one reference to concealing "grass." Social drinking in bar setting.

For a detailed explanation of how content determines grades, click here

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