Rotten
The film has nowhere to go except to give us a predictable initial confrontation between Guttenberg and Sheedy over military weapons.
Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune
Short Circuit
Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.
1986 · 1h 38m · PG
Comedy, Family, Science Fiction
Directed by
John Badham
Overview
After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
61%
Tomatometer
Rotten
One of the stranger ironies to be found in Hollywood these days is that some of its most resourceful directors use high-tech wizardry and state-of- the-art movie technology to make films that rail against the tyranny of science.
Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer
Fresh
Scripters get credit for some terrific dialog that would have been a lot less disarming if not for the winsome robot and Sheedy's affection for it. Guttenberg plays his best goofy self.
Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh
The movie, which has the clean, well-scrubbed look of an old Disney comedy, is nicely acted by Miss Sheedy, who demonstrates a light-comedy touch not unlike Amy Irving's [and] Mr. Guttenberg.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten
It's basically a kid's movie, and quite possibly the kids will like it. But they'll have to be fairly young kids.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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Comments
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