Short Circuit: Difference between revisions

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''Short Circuit'' is a pair of films that were written with the intention of [[Deconstructed Trope|deconstructing]] [[AI Is a Crapshoot]]. It's a near-unique film that doesn't fall easily into any one genre, instead it takes elements of sci-fi, action, romantic comedy and slapstick.

''Short Circuit'' is a pair of films that were written with the intention of [[Deconstructed Trope|deconstructing]] [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot]]. It's a near-unique film that doesn't fall easily into any one genre, instead it takes elements of sci-fi, action, romantic comedy and slapstick.

In the first film (1986) NOVA robotics demonstrates five experimental robots for military use. With mobile tank treads, impressive tactile response, limited AI and a very dangerous laser weapon, they are bleeding edge advanced machines. During a storm, SAINT #5 is [[Lightning Can Do Anything|struck by lightning]], frying its circuits and causing a critical malfunction in its programming. It wanders off unnoticed, headed for the unsuspecting denizens of a small town, in particular one defenseless girl and animal lover named Stephanie Speck (Ally Sheedy). It is a race against time to recapture the wayward robot before disaster strikes - but it is already too late. Number Five is adapting... learning... and willfully ignoring commands.

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* [[Adorkable]]: Just about everyone, admit it. Most notably: Ben, Newton and Johnny.

* [[AI Is a Crapshoot]]: Inverted. There's nothing wrong with the AI until lightning gets involved.

* [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot]]: Inverted. There's nothing wrong with the AI until lightning gets involved.

** Even then, the AI is incredibly amicable and nonviolent, and takes some serious pushing(a major betrayal and ''very'' serious and brutal attempt on its life) just to move it from an [[Actual Pacifist]] to a [[Technical Pacifist]].

* [[Armies Are Evil]]: Strictly speaking, the "soldiers" are NOVA's security team and not proper military, but close enough.

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** {{spoiler|Oscar's}} goons {{spoiler|destroying the No.5 replica}} early in the second film.

** And at the police station:

{{quote|[[William Shakespeare|...If you prick us,]] [[The Merchant of Venice|do we not bleed?]]

Yeah, battery fluid maybe.}}

* [[Frickin' Laser Beams]]: All the military robots.

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* [[Ridiculously-Human Robots]]: Personality-wise, not appearance-wise.

* [[Robosexual]]: Number 5 hitting on Stephanie in the tub.

* [[Rock Beats Laser]]: Johnny outwits his evil twins by deflecting their lasers with rocks and [[A Handful for An Eye|blinding them with mud]]. $11 million well spent, Pentagon.

* [[Rock Beats Laser]]: Johnny outwits his evil twins by deflecting their lasers with rocks and [[A Handful for an Eye|blinding them with mud]]. $11 million well spent, Pentagon.

* [[Run for the Border]]: {{spoiler|Oscar}} and his cronies devise a clever plot to smuggle the jewels into South America. Each one is hidden inside a cheap, plastic toy dinosaur; "Our gift to the Brazilian National Orphanage."

* [[Running Gag]]: Skroder seems rather obsessed with food...

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** Johnny learns about death when he accidentally tramples a grasshopper.

* [[Unwitting Pawn]]: Johnny, in the second movie. ''Twice.'' In the beginning he steals just about a dozen car radios after being deceived by a gang to believe that he was helping them do their jobs as the "Department of Car Stereo Repair"; and later when {{spoiler|Oscar tricks him into digging into the bank vault, thinking it was to create a safe place for Ben.}} Don't worry, [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge|he fixes it.]]

* [[Violently Protective Girlfriend]]: Maybe not violent, but Sandy [[Took a Level In Badass|takes a level in badass]] when she believes Ben is in trouble, impressively decoding his voiceless-phone messages to use as directions, and demanding that the taxi driver break the law to move faster.

* [[Violently Protective Girlfriend]]: Maybe not violent, but Sandy [[Took a Level in Badass|takes a level in badass]] when she believes Ben is in trouble, impressively decoding his voiceless-phone messages to use as directions, and demanding that the taxi driver break the law to move faster.

* [[Voice Changeling]]: Johnny, like most [[The Terminator|self-aware robots from the Eighties]], can mimic anyone's voice.