Short Circuit

A military robotics lab builds a prototype labeled Number 5, and when a stray bolt of lightning changes its circuitry the machine suddenly develops curiosity, personality, and self-awareness. Realizing it can think for itself, Number 5 slips away from the facility to avoid being reclaimed. Its creator, an earnest engineer named Newton, scrambles to find the robot before armed forces move in. Along the way a spirited animal rescuer mistakes the android for an extraterrestrial, brings it into her home, and begins teaching it about everyday life and human feelings. The story balances light humor with questions about consciousness, while keeping the focus on friendship and trust rather than spectacle.

Directed by John Badham and created from a concept by Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson, the film landed in theaters in 1986 as a family-friendly mix of science fiction and comedy, featuring Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg in the lead roles.

Upon release the movie reached a wide family audience and maintained steady popularity through home video and television reruns, helping it remain part of 1980s movie conversations well after its initial run.

The robot at the center of the film became a memorable character in 1980s pop culture, often cited when people talk about sympathetic machines in cinema. Its blend of innocence and humor left an imprint on toy aisles and fan memories, and the image of a curious, talkative robot persists as one of the decade’s lighter science fiction touchstones.

Critical reaction was mixed to warm, reflected by an audience and critic average around the mid to high sixes, and viewers often praised the film for its humor and heart. Themes include what makes someone sentient, the contrast between military coldness and civilian compassion, and how surprise kindness can change an outsider’s sense of belonging.