Batteries Not Included – Cuteness to the max


There seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to whether you’ll love or hate ‘Batteries Not Included.’ The first is that it’s a masterpiece for all the family and the second is that watching it will cause undue vomiting due to excessive, sickly cuteness.  I lean to the former, but I guess I can see what they mean with the ‘cute factor.’

The residents of a dilapidated New York block of flats are being threatened by your typical evil corporate eighties businessmen with eviction so the area can be bulldozed and made way for offices and skyscrapers in general.  However, just when our put-upon heroes (loveable old couple, out of work artist, pregnant soon-to-be single mum and semi-mute ex boxer) look like they’re going to be forced out by various corporate goons and henchmen, they get help from an unexpected source when tiny robot/alien UFOs defend on their block and look like they’re going to save the day.


First of all – the negative (if you consider it to be ‘negative’), i.e. the ‘cuteness.’ Yes, the little robots are absolutely adorable and the plights of their new human friends will bring a tear to your eye.  I can see a lot of people rolling their eyes at what transpires, especially if you haven’t seen this either (a) when you were a kid or (b) with your little ones.


I don’t know whether it was the fact that I watched this film loads of times when I was little, therefore I’m viewing it through completely nostalgic eyes, but I can’t fault it for its cuteness.  I love all the characters (human and metal) and even the baddie ‘Carlos’ goes through a rare ‘character-arc’ which elevates him to more than just a faceless, forgettable goon.


Yes, it’s sweet.  Yes, you’ll probably guess everything that’s going to happen (if you haven’t seen it before).  And yes the blue-screen effects are a lot more noticeable today when we’re used to mega-budget CGI effects.  But, before you completely condemn if for being over-sentimental pap, please remember it was meant for kids, rather than adults and I made sure I showed it to my own daughter when she was young – she loved it.  It’s just definitely NOT one for bitter cynics.


9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather