Great Films About Artificial Intelligence

"The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!" This phrase appears thrice in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927). The film kicked off a tradition of untrustworthy AI characters who wage war against humanity. Its legacy includes iconic figures like HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Terminator, and Agent Smith. Lang argues that a lack of ‘heart’ leads artificial beings to be evil. This notion challenges Ridley Scott’s vision in Blade Runner (1982), suggesting that androids can develop empathy and even teach human characters valuable lessons.

Scott wasn't the first to explore AI's emotional depth. More than 30 years before, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) featured a benevolent AI named Gort, who protects its human creators. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s World on a Wire (1973) introduced an artificial protagonist who surpasses its creator in kindness. Short Circuit (1986), Bicentennial Man (1999), A.I. (2001), and Wall-E (2008) continued this tradition of depicting empathetic AI characters.

Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis captures the viewer with its stunning visuals and socio-political reflections of Weimar Germany. It addresses issues like industrialization, consumerism, and gender roles. The film centers on a madonna-whore narrative between Maria (Brigitte Helm) and Hel, a gynoid made in her image. Maria loves Freder (Gustav Fröhlich), while Hel — a product of Maria’s kidnapping by the scorned Rotwang (Rudolf Kein-Rogge) — creates chaos within the working class.

This adaptation of Thea Gabriele von Harbou's book introduces a tradition of untrustworthy androids. These beings typically serve to dominate, are dominated themselves, or wield power independently, rarely boding well for those oppressed by the system.

World on a Wire (1973)

In World on a Wire, Rainer Werner Fassbinder crafted a virtual reality narrative using Daniel F. Galouye’s 1964 novel Simulacron-3 as a foundation. The protagonist, Fred Stiller (Klaus Löwitsch), is a cybernetics engineer who makes a predictive simulation populated with artificial beings. As unsettling occurrences unfold, Stiller becomes caught in a corporate conspiracy surrounding his creation.

While the idea of alternate worlds isn’t new — explored by authors like Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick — Fassbinder’s adaptation introduces theatrical twists. He combines dark humor with examinations of power dynamics, portraying directors as mad scientists and viewers as misled participants. The focus lies less on morality and more on the torture of its fully emotional AI characters.

RoboCop (1987)

RoboCop, directed by Paul Verhoeven, delves into human identity through the lens of a messianic AI. This groundbreaking film gained widespread acclaim, leading to comic adaptations, sequels, a TV series, and a commissioned 11-foot statue in Detroit. It epitomizes the cyberpunk genre through themes of cybernetic enhancement, societal decline, and military dominance.

The storyline follows police officer Murray (Peter Weller) who dies and is resurrected as a cybernetic agent. While Blade Runner questions creating androids, RoboCop focuses on dehumanization driven by capitalism. Ultimately, the tale centers on Murray’s struggle to reclaim his humanity amid societal forces intent on stripping it away.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Mamoru Oshii’s anime, Ghost in the Shell, presents a thoughtful perspective on AI. High-stakes action serves as a backdrop for universal explorations of consciousness and identity. The film follows Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg-human hybrid pursuing an AI hacker named The Puppet Master. After becoming self-aware following a clash, they decide to merge, creating a new techno-human entity.

Unlike most AI narratives that define humanity against artificial beings, Ghost in the Shell explores duality. It examines old versus new and organic versus synthetic, emphasizing balance. This film has significantly influenced filmmakers, from Spielberg to Cameron, and played a role in shaping the Matrix trilogy.

I’m Your Man (2021)

I’m Your Man tackles ethical questions around AI in personal relationships, especially regarding emotional reliance. Director Maria Shrader adeptly engages with weighty themes like objectification and loss while sprinkling lighter moments to craft an insightful romantic narrative.

The plot follows archaeologist Alma (Maren Eggert) who lives with Tom (Dan Stevens), an AI designed as her ideal partner. Initially, moments reveal Tom’s inability to exhibit human traits causing discomfort for Alma. Contrastingly, she meets a man comfortably entangled with a female AI. The story subtly critiques how men often objectify women, illustrating how komfort may fulfill universal loneliness fears. However, the film ultimately hints that our vulnerabilities are essential to living fully human lives.

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