There are a lot of films that pit mankind and robots at odds with each other, but there are also those in which they appear to be at peace in some important way. The overall fear of machines is that they will eventually grow to be stronger, smarter, and more capable of taking over than human beings could ever be. In some movies however the desired harmony that is seen between humans and robots isn’t always perfect, but it’s certainly a better way to look at things.
After humans don’t necessarily HAVE to rely on machines for everything. Ironic, I know.
5. Bicentennial Man
Andrew is that odd robot out of a million that has feelings, can see things in his positronic brain that aren’t put there on purpose, and has quirks that no other robot displays. Rather than discourage this and send him back to the factory however his family, as he comes to know them, encourages him to grow and to adapt as a unique individual. As he continues his journey however he finds out just what it’s like to be human, and what it means to live.
4. Real Steel
A lot of this movie has to do with the violence between robots and the control that their handlers have over one another but Max and Atom are a little different. It’s true that Atom doesn’t respond unless he’s given a command but there’s something in the sparring bot that must be at least a little bit aware as he fights harder when Max is around and goes the distance with the champion, Zeus, when all other bots were decimated.
3. Big Hero 6
Baymax is like a warm, fluffy marshmallow that’s your friend and medical caregiver all in one. He’s not really built to be much more than what he is, but Hiro finds a way to make him even more awesome when he turns him into a superhero. Plus, Baymax fills a void in Hiro’s life when his big brother is killed in an explosion.
2. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
Back when Haley Joel Osment was still the cute kid star he took part in a film that wasn’t all about the kind relations between robots and humans, but showed that it was possible. As David he was essentially the child to take the place of a woman’s biological son when he fell ill and wouldn’t wake. When the boy did wake however the resentment he felt towards David was quite obvious and after a while David was left on his own to fend for himself. So there are moments of peace between robots and mankind in this, just not that many.
1. Batteries Not Included
This could be called a robot and an extraterrestrial movie since the robots are the extraterrestrials. It’s never really said why they’re on earth, but when they start fixing up the old tenement that houses only a few people it becomes clear that they’re sticking around to do some good. Once they leave however the tenement is burned to the ground, but they manage to come back with even more of their kind, restoring the building to its former glory.
Robots and mankind can live in peace, or so the movies say.
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