"A-X-L" ("Attack, Exploration, Logistics") is, for all intents and purposes, a next-generation "E.T.", though more so "Short Circuit'" or "Chappie", due to its robotic roots. That also puts its eponymous character in same league (more or less) with "Doctor Who'"s K9. In any case, the movie, written and directed by Oliver Daly, is (per its deeper, cinematic foundation) a knockoff of "Lassie Come Home", "Old Yeller"and "Benji", aimed at families seeking old-time, Disney-type fare, with a slight "Rebel Without a Cause" bent, fueled by futuristic vim.
As one might presume, A-X-L (Dorian "The Time Machine" Kingi, beneath the CGI) is a military financed thing, dark and sleek, designed for combative and (one might presume) protective purposes. However, in the "Westworld" mode, the contraption adapts cognition and dashes off to the desert where against inexplicable odds, it successfully hides before encountering a nice, dirt-biking, young man named Miles (Alex Neustaedter).
At first, Miles is startled by A-X-L, but comes to befriend and mend it. (He even determines its gender to be male, though it holds no determining features.) Meanwhile, A.X.L.'s creators (Dominic "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Rains and Lou Taylor "Evil Dead" Pucci) monitor the machine's whereabouts, discovering to both their satisfaction and dismay that it's bonded with the boy via its intricate programming. In addition, the machine has grown playfully fond the lad's pretty, new girlfriend, Sara (Becky G), which contradicts its menacing constitution.
Incidentally, Sara is linked to Miles' crafty rival, Sam (Alex "The 5th Wave" MacNicoll), who behaves much like Corey Allen's Buzz in "Rebel". This puts Miles in the James Dean/Jim Stark driver's seat, though Miles' dad (Thomas "the Punisher" Jane) is more accepting of rough stuff than Jim Backus's counterpart ever was. Still, it pretty much all comes out in the wash.
These "Rebel" overlaps give the story better texture than most other teen flicks at present (which let's face it, are generally unfocused and/or wimpy), but alas, the movie's anti-military motif smothers the admirable angle, along any flourishing sense of conflict or commitment among its leads.
That means we're stuck with superfluous, seek-and-destroy spiels: so senseless in light of the scientists' proof that Miles can train their hardware. Why not share the recorded evidence with the military, then reason with the kid, who in turn, could reason with the machine? There's nothing to indicate that A-X-L must be hunted, destroyed or scrapped. If anything, the device appears to be reaching its potential and only requires more time and the proper master to fine-tune it.
Unfortunately, by the film's boisterous climax, its prejudices far outweigh its good intent. That makes "A-X-L" a missed mark when compared to the films that inspired it. That stinks, since dewdrop fudge is now a dime a dozen, and Lord knows how much the boy-and-his-dog and family/teen scenes need a prudent shot in the arm.
Per a fluke, I attended another showing of the film. Though I'm still not keen on its military spin, the movie's heedless antics are refreshing. That may not be enough to make this the ultimate robot flick, but the film sure exceeds its ball-less, teen competition.
ReplyDeleteA-X-L is also a pretty cool, novelty character, with better nuances than I caught the first time round. Wouldn't mind seeing someone produce an A-X-L action figure, though I suspect the odds are against it.