Sean Lamberger A freak lightning storm causes a war automaton to spontaneously go sentient during a military demonstration. If you were sentient yourself in '86, no doubt you remember this one. It's the epitome of an eighties movie in all the wrong ways: bad comedy, forced plot developments, a big dose of cold war overtones, a valley girl accent, Steve Guttenberg... the list is awfully lengthy. We've even got a white man in brown face, though he does nothing terribly egregious or offensive beyond the (surprisingly convincing) makeup.Short Circuit manages to get by on the power of spirit and enthusiasm alone, which is itself another '80s stereotype. It's got energy to spare, plus absolutely no shame over its shortcomings, which makes it awkwardly endearing. Having said that, and appreciated it, the flick is often eye-roll bad, much worse than I'd remembered. Subtle like a bull on the warpath and cheesier than a Kraft dinner, I felt a little embarrassed for being such a fan back when I could still count my age on two hands. My sons, though, only a few years removed from that age themselves, adored it, so maybe there's something innocent and beautiful about that. I guess some films are best viewed in the memory banks.

alfCycle This is a fun, typical 80's movie. The robot is cute and entertaining. I can't help but be reminded of E.T. This movie is silly and obviously not meant to be taken seriously. I definitely laughed out loud at parts. It's very predictable, but I still enjoyed it for what it is. The main negative was the offensive Indian stereotype character. I think they went a little too far with that portrayal, especially since it's played by a white guy. Jeez! Anyway, if you're a fan of fun, goofy 80's movies you'll probably enjoy this one.6/10************SPOILERS************Recommended for those that enjoy robo-whimsy, robo-ET, robo-stooges, robo-disco, robo-cooking, robo-impersonations, robo-joyrides, brown face, offensive stereotypes, unnecessary pigheaded male antagonists, evil corporations, uncompromising military officials, guttenbergs...

Prismark10 John Badham went all hi-tech with his hacker thriller WarGames. In Short Circuit the inspiration is to marry the heartwarming story of ET with robot technology and the story of Robot Number 5, an advanced robot developed for military purposes but gains some kind of artificial intelligence after being struck by lightning and being fried.Number 5 goes on the run from the defence company who want to disassemble him and he ends up befriending naive animal lover Ally Sheedy who protects him but initially thinks he is an alien from outer space.Steve Guttenberg is the creator of the robot program, unhappy about the proposed military uses of his creations. He also goes on the hunt for Number 5 and realises that his robot has developed self awareness and become alive. However the chase led by GW Bailey (Guttenberg's co- star from the Police Academy films) is mainly for comic relief.Short Circuit is a cheesy 1980s film that kids would had enjoyed back then. The robot's image was 'borrowed' by WALL-E and the robotic special effects have been well utilised in this film. Less so is the comedy Indian side kick played by a browned up white actor with a comedy accent. It was inappropriate at the time and frankly highlights the racism of the mainstream film industry that permeated in the 1980s.

deatman9 I remember seeing this movie when I was little and I have loved it ever since. The story is a great family tale thats heart warming and adorable. It is kind of a 80s B movie because the acting is not great but it makes up for it in story line and hilarity with the robot.This movie is about a military robot that is struck by lightning. It gets out of the military compound and now realizes it has gained consciousness. He finds a lady and they become friends and he becomes more and more human.This movie is just great I would still highly recommend this to kids now a days just because they are sure to fall in love with the robot just as I did as a kid.