Short Circuit

"Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive."

May 9 1986 PG 1h 38m
Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi

After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

Plot

Number 5, one of a group of experimental military robots, undergoes a sudden transformation after being struck by lightning. He develops self-awareness, consciousness, and a fear of the reprogramming that awaits him back at the factory. With the help of a young woman, Number 5 tries to evade capture and convince his creator that he has truly become alive.

Written by

S.S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Jay Tarses

Directed by

John Badham

Cast

Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

PSO, TriStar Pictures, David Foster Productions

Languages

English

Awards

1 win & 5 nominations

Trailers
Short Circuit (1986) Trailer (VHS Capture)
"Short Circuit" (1986) HD Theatrical Trailer
Scores
# of Votes
68,231
Average Rating
6.6 out of 10
Metascore
50
Popularity
NA