You've seem it before, and it's got a sweetness that makes even Steven Spielberg look a little like Scrooge, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better film to both entertain your kids and teach them an important lesson about the meaning of life.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 27, 2024

Folks who like tweaking the Army or those with a special fondness for adorable robots may enjoy this harmless, reasonably funny film.

| Original Score: 5/10 | Oct 27, 2021

It's the charming machine and his damsel-in-distress who keep the picture afloat, putting a twist on conventional movie romances.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Sep 7, 2020

In the spectrum of "Mac and Me," and "E.T.," its right there smack dab in the middle with "Batteries Not Included."

| Oct 15, 2018

The film has nowhere to go except to give us a predictable initial confrontation between Guttenberg and Sheedy over military weapons.

| Original Score: 1/4 | Apr 2, 2014

Number Five is the real star of this energetic film. Sheedy, Guttenberg and company are just supporting players.

| Apr 2, 2014

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.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 2, 2014

A film that demands emotional connections with a robot whose voice is one of the most annoying ever produced. Give us Hal, R2-D2 or a barber shop quartet of Daleks any day.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 2, 2014

Youngsters will love this hip spoof on hardware movies.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 2, 2014

John Badham's Pinocchio story is sweet, silly and now charmingly old-fashioned.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 2, 2014

No movie with Austin Pendleton can be all bad, but this one makes a game try.

| Apr 2, 2014

A movie for kids of all ages, with enough pace and effects to amuse the youngsters and humour plus message to engage adults.

| Apr 2, 2014

Short Circuit may prove a summer hit for all the wrong reasons: It aspires to be no more than a recycled remembrance of films past.

| Apr 2, 2014

The human actors are secondary, for the real star of the show is Number 5. He's really pretty charming, though his unusual antics aren't enough to carry a feature-length motion picture.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 2, 2014

An affable yet forgettable effort...

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 9, 2012

The lack of a single malicious bone in this film ensures that its genuinely heartfelt approach never collapses to mere schtick.

| Original Score: B+ | Jun 26, 2011

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.

| Jul 6, 2010

Looking back at it today it's clear that Short Circuit is absolutely awful, and not just because of Ally Sheedy's haircut.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 4, 2008

A message film to please all ages.

| Jun 24, 2006

#5 is alive...and horny

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 28, 2005