The Movie
Vicky, from television's "Small Wonder," has her adoring crowd of admirers across the Internet, but D.A.R.Y.L. has gone largely forgotten. Perhaps it's because those Vicky fans are dirty pervs, but D.A.R.Y.L. should not be so easily dismissed. His movie was just the latest (at the time) in a long string of android films, following the well-remembered Disney effort, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, but it had a feel that was different than the other '80s family flicks. This one had an attitude.

After a drawn-out chase scene that starts the film, D.A.R.Y.L. is found by an elderly couple in the woods, and is eventually left in the care of foster parents Joyce and Andy (Mary Beth Hurt and Michael McKean.) They realize there's something not quite right about D.A.R.Y.L., but they attempt to make him a part of the family, through wholesome activities like baseball. Of course, a robot playing baseball is bound to lead to some high jinks, and it does. Aside from his moments as the coach, McKean's usual full-volume performance is turned way-down in this movie, but he's still enjoyable as the father figure.

While D.A.R.Y.L. becomes attached to his new parents, his friendship with his odd neighbor Turtle, a mix of Eddie Haskell and Billy Jayne's character from Just One of the Guys, is the biggest influence on him, and makes up the crux of the film's off-beat sense of humor. The way this kid talks is more Clerks than Cat in the Hat, and the dynamic with quiet D.A.R.Y.L. makes the movie move. That's not to say it really works, as Turtle is too young to act the way he does, but it still keeps things moving.

The DVDs
Vanilla plain is the flavor here, with static menus, simple scene selections and a couple of audio and subtitle options. You can watch the movie in English and French, while there are English subtitles available. There is no insert included.

The Quality
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer looks good, despite the film's age. As expected, a movie approaching 20 years of age has some evident grain, but on a whole, D.A.R.Y.L looks better than it has since it first graced movie screens. The colors, presented in a suburban, pastel palette, are vivid, with excellent skintones, while the image is crisp.

The Dolby 2.0 audio mix on this DVD had me playing with the sound levels too often, as the sound effects and music (done by Marvin Hamlisch) were at a proper volume, but the dialogue was weak and low. There are some nice moments on the soundtrack, though, especially at the very beginning and just before the ending.

The Extras
Nothing! You get...nothing! Come on, Paramount... you couldn't slap a trailer on this bad boy?

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.