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Story

Carol Peters (Melissa McCarthy) is an unemployed, average woman who has separated from her partner, George (Bobby Cannavale). Carol’s life changes drastically one day, when an all-powerful, all-knowing AI, or superintelligence (voice of James Cordon), enters her life.

The AI fills Carol’s life with wealth in the form of a penthouse apartment, a Tesla car, a great job and money in the bank. The AI is determined to reunite Carol with George, but its main aim is to work out whether humanity is worth saving. The AI tells Carol that she has three days to prove to him whether humanity should be saved, enslaved or destroyed.

This sets Carol on a frantic path to get back together with George. She soon discovers that she’s being watched by the US Secret Service and must make decisions that will affect the outcome of life on Earth.

Themes

Artificial intelligence; spies

Violence

Superintelligence has some violence. For example:

  • Carol smashes her toaster with a bat.
  • A car crash happens in front of Carol’s home but no-one is injured.
  • A man crashes his bike. He falls off but isn’t hurt.
  • Secret Service agents kidnap Carol. They put a black hood placed over her head and force her into a van while she struggles to escape.
  • The AI fills a room with gas and threatens to blow everyone up.
  • Carol falls out of a car and lands flat on her face.
  • Carol is kidnapped again and kicks the agent in the chest.
  • The AI says that humanity is destroying itself. It plays a video that shows riots, an atom bomb exploding, and the world on fire.
  • Carol snatches a phone from a person as she walks past.

Sexual references

  • The AI says to Carol, ‘Judging by the history of your lovemaking …’.
  • The AI asks whether dates usually lead to more intimacy than what happens between Carol and George.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

Superintelligence shows some use of substances. For example:

  • Characters drink wine on several occasions.
  • Carol drinks wine out of a bottle.

Nudity and sexual activity

Superintelligence has some nudity and sexual activity. For example, George and Carol kiss. Secret Service agents watch Carol and George through window blinds as they tear each other’s clothes off. It looks like they go on to have sex, but this isn’t shown.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in Superintelligence: Candy Panda, Microsoft, Tesla and Blackberry.

Coarse language

Superintelligence has some coarse language and name-calling.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Superintelligence is a romantic comedy movie with spy and science fiction elements. It has some standard slapstick and is quite funny and entertaining. Although the plot revolves around the dangers of AI, it isn’t too serious or threatening. The romance between George and Carol is also sweet and endearing.

The target audience for this movie is tweens, teenagers and adults. It isn’t suitable for children aged under 10 years, and we recommend parental guidance for children aged 10-12 years.

The main messages from this movie are that sometimes you must make difficult choices in life and that love will help to make the right decisions.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include empathy, compassion, and willingness to put the needs of others above your own.

This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life like the bullying Dennis experienced as a child because of his stutter. He becomes a successful computer programmer and overcomes his stutter. This could be a positive example for children.

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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