This article comes fromDen of Geek UK.

By the end of the 1990s, Spielberg found himself in a position of unparalleled luxury.

Where do you go from there?

What do you do when youre the film-maker whos done everything?

Its the second of these that informs his first film of the Noughties.A.I.

To suggest the darker elements ofA.I.are purely Kubricks and the lighter purely Spielberg is to misunderstand both directors.

Kubrick shows elements of Spielbergian humanity throughout2001: A Space Odyssey, Spielberg shows Kubrickian cynicism throughoutJaws.

The reasonA.I.works so well is because of the way their instincts blend into one another.

Or, more precisely, the things well do for love.

Its a heartwarming one that elicits unequivocal sympathy for the character and seems to have a happy ending.

It remains a controversial ending and one thats been credited as being of Spielbergs creation.

However, it was in place since Kubrick was on the project and Spielberg did nothing to change it.

It indeed a perfect ending, but contrary to many peoples thoughts not a happy one.

She needs a son to love and look out for and David fills that role.

In a way, thats rather sweet and moving: love makes the world go round.

We all need to experience it and we all need to help others experience it.

And so it proves.

When Martin awakens, Davids purpose fades.

As the film closes, Monica and David have switched roles.

Its now he that needs love and shes the life form thats artificially created to give it to him.

It twists the entire film into quite difficult territory.

More importantly, hes become human.

Its why that finale is such a perfect and strangely unhappy ending, a defining statement on humanity.

Sometimes we do the worst of things for the best of reasons.

Break bread with me, he asks his handler Ephraim.

No, comes the simple, devastating response.

The comforts of home and identity seem further away than ever.

This is most certainly not the vision of Tom Cruise: Action Hero that were used to.

Spielberg delights in playing this subversion out literally as well as emotionally.

Cruise is put through the physical wringer in both films, Spielberg disfiguring him on multiple occasions.

Concepts of reality and fantasy also driveCatch Me If you’re able to.

While Elliot finds the escapism he needs in E.T.

The Terminalexplores this idea too, but adds greater social significance to it.

Who cares about humans when theres money to be made?

Perhaps Spielberg felt the same asCrystal Skulls release was followed by an extended three-year period of inactivity.