Summary
A.I. Artificial Intelligencestar Haley Joel Osment opens up about his interpretation of the ending of the movie, weighing in on if David dies at the end. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie follows Osment’s David, an A.I. known as a Mecha in the form of a child, who is taken care of by Henry and Monica Swinton. Considered a classic despite not being remembered as one ofSpielberg’s best movies, the ending is unique, taking place two thousand years later as David experiences one last day with a version of Monica made after humanity’s extinction.
Speaking onThe Spielpodcast, Osment explains his interpretation ofA.I. Artificial Intelligence’s ending, which sees David fall asleep next to the revived version of Monica as she dies. Starting at 1:34:50, the actor explains how, despite the possibility that his character dies at the end,he believes the final scene to be a hopeful yet emotionally complicated conclusiondespite the circumstances. Check out what Osment had to say below:
I don’t think [David] would see it that way, I think he just wants to go with [Monica] wherever she goes. And I don’t even know if I ever answered that question for myself because I just took it up to the decision he makes to get in bed and try and follow her, and be with her forever. And it’s a complicated feeling to go, “Okay, what’s the practical reality?” Like, does his battery run out? Does poor Teddy’s battery eventually run out? It’s a locked room, and you could give yourself some very dark and disturbing answers to that question, but I think I went into it with him feeling hopeful, and maybe feeling happier than he’s ever felt in his life, because he does get to be with her. That ending leaves you with some really complicated feelings, I think.
Why A.I. Artificial Intelligence’s Ending Is So Complex
What Happens In The End Can Be Interpreted In Several Ways
Originally planned out by Stanley Kubrick before his death,A.I. Artificial Intelligencetells an increasingly complex story about what it means to be real and feel love. Osment’s interpretation of the ending makes sense, asDavid wanting to follow Monica into death isn’t necessarily an unhappy ending for the character, who managed to experience a perfect day with her. However, it’s made more complicated by the possibility that he powered down forever with her, essentially dying in the process. This makes his final moments more complex and up to interpretation, depending on what he really does.
Given how much Osment stood out as achild actor in Spielberg’s movie, his complicated feelings about the potentially hopeful ending make sense. However,his viewpoint also makes it possible for a happy ending to be pulled from it, despite humanity’s extinction and David likely shutting down during the final scene. While this means his character might not have survived, his shutting down at the end would mean he gets to be with Monica forever. There is a chance he got what he wanted in a bittersweet finale to the film.
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While David’s survival would mean he’d get to live in the future with Teddy, it would be just as conflicting an ending as him dying, since he no longer has the world he loved save for his stuffed animal companion. If he did live in a new world full of machines, though, he could use his knowledge of love to better the world in Monica’s name. However,A.I. Artificial Intelligence’s ending feels more definitive than that,with the Mecha child finally getting what he wanted and being able to fulfill the purpose he was made for.
A.I. Artificial Intelligencewas nominated for Best Original Music Score and Best Visual Effects at the 2002 Oscars.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Cast
A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, featuring a robotic boy named David who is programmed to love. Adopted by a Cybertronics employee and his wife, David faces unexpected challenges that threaten his place in their family.
