D.A.R.Y.L.

He's smart, nice, liked by all, so why make a film about this boring little jerk? The first half is somewhat short on drama as the new boy in town (Oliver) establishes himself as a wiz at advanced calculus, brill at baseball, and insufferably cute. Eventually, however, the heavies arrive: this microchip marvel (Data Analysing Robot Youth Lifeform) is the Pentagon's most powerful secret weapon since Cruise, and now the army wants it back, please. Oz director Wincer has produced a bland slice of ersatz Americana that's about as folksy as MacDonalds apple pie; a filming-by-numbers mix of small-town nostalgia, soapy family drama and high-tech sfx, this Dreary Android Runaway Yarn Lags way behind the Spielberg thoroughbreds it tries so hard to ape.