Customer Reviews

I, Robot (Full Screen Edition)

5 star:		(133)
4 star:		(144)
3 star:		(60)
2 star:		(34)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

I own 56 Blu-Ray movies, and I have to say, this one is the way I wish all of them looked. Jaw-dropping detail, vivid colors, and no artifacts to be seen anywhere. A flawless transfer to HD, and a equally excellent audio track (I can only hear the 1.5 mbps DTS right now, but I can imagine how much better the lossless track will be once PS3 can decode DTS-MA.) Highly recommended, assuming you like the movie itself.

I watched this one with my family over the weekend and, quite frankly, had a ball. Yeah, to some extent it's a movie with a message, but mainly it's just plain entertaining. If you try to read too much into it, you'll miss the opportunity for a good old-fashioned sci fi romp.

Fast forward to the year 2035. The monolithic company "U.S. Robotics" has put NS-4 domestic assistant robots into mass production, so much so that they are commonplace "members" of American society. Their artificial intelligence is designed to be as much like humans as possible, but is regulated by the "3 laws" programming that is hardwired into every robot. These laws are: 1. To protect human life above all; 2. To obey human commands except if it would violate law 1; and 3. To protect its own existence unless doing so would violate laws 1 or 2. The laws seem a foolproof way to ensure that the robots would never pose a threat to humanity. But all that changed when the man billed as the father of robotic technology and the 3 laws turns up dead in a very public, and very suspicous, manner, just as the new and improved NS-5 model is about to flood the market. The death is quickly written off by all concerned as a suicide. All except detective Dale Spooner, this is.

Being a good cop and a sharp detective, Spooner (played by Will Smith) in not content that the professor's death was a suicide, and begins investigating with the lead suspect, an NS-5 robot named "Sonny". Sonny's intelligence is so advanced, and his "emotions" so well simulated, that he appears to have something resembling a human soul. Spooner believes that Sonny killed the professor, and sets out to prove it. His (over)zealous approach to the task, coupled with his deep distrust of robots and their manufacturer, quickly lands him in hot water with some powerful people. Some difficult and destructive encounters with the metallic menaces leave him looking like an obsessive paranoiac, and ultimately result in his suspension from the police force.

Spooner continues his chase nonetheless, following a series of clues left by the dead professor, as step by step the mystery begins the unwind. All along the way are some great action sequences, plot twists and one-liners. However, except for Will Smith's character (which is the same as it has been in every film he has done since "Men in Black"), nothing about the story is predictable. When the final shoe drops, most viewers will be pleasantly surprised by the unexpected ending.

All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. It was a wild ride with lots of great sci fi treats and effects. The only downsides were the lack of character development on any signficant level -- this is a purely plot-driven movie -- and the fact that Will Smith essentially played himself, much as he always does. Still, it's worth seeing. I certainly don't regret the investment of two hours.

My first reaction as this film began was "Wait! This isn't Asimov." The Asimov I grew up reading was a weaver of ideas, more mind candy than adventure story. But here I found myself in Will Smith's bedroom, and then suddenly catapulted into a wild chase after a purse grabbing robot. A far cry from the delicacy used by Asimov. It took a while for the shock to wear off but eventually the conflict between Smith's gritty performance as Del Spooner and his original inspiration in the reminiscences of Dr. Susan Calvin (played by Bridget Moynahan) wears off and the view settles into a film that is inspired by Asimov, but does not imitate him.

The sooner that happens, the better, because this is an exceptional film in its own right, even if it does proceed with the speed of a video game. Smith creates a wisecracking character with a deep mistrust of robots. He is called in to to investigate what appears to be an impossible killing - robots can't kill humans, it's the first law of robotics. But Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell) lies dead and the only suspect is 'Sonny' a Series 5 robot with some surprising circuitry (played by Alan Tudyk).

The death is declared a suicide, but Spooner refuses to give in. suddenly the automated world turns on the detective, whose unlikely ally is Dr. Calvin, a robopsychologist responsible for the psyches of masses of robots about to be distributed around the planet. One hair-raising escape after another propels the story along until viewers find themselves at a surprisingly reflective conclusion. Not exactly classical Asimov, but a great story nonetheless.

Will does a good job as Spooner, but he is upstaged by Moynihan's performance. And both are blown away by Tudyk and the animators performance as Sonny. As you watch Sonny develop from being slightly more simpatico than the scenery into a full-blown personality there are countless moments of surprise. Moynihan and Smith do their best, but from the moment Sonny turns to Spooner and says "Thank you... you said someone not something." The film belongs to the robots.

Excellent animation and CGI create a world that is a retro version of the future - perhaps exactly what Asimov imagined rather than what we would now. The result is a compelling mix of the outré and the mundane that sticks in the mind just as Sonny's wink does.

This is not just an action film. Threaded through it are the same questions that Asimov raised about the nature of self and intelligence. Robots may never be human, but there are far more than furniture. And if their thought processes are alien, they are more than the sum of their programming. The result is one of the more carefully thought out science fiction films in recent times.

First of all, if you're an Asimov fan, you're probably aware that the script of "I, Robot" is only tangentially based on Asimov's robot novels and stories. The screenwriters, though, make no attempt to disguise that, claiming the script was "Suggested by Isaac Asimov." If you are not an Asimov fan, I should warn you that, for example, his "starter" robot book, "The Caves of Steel," is so totally different from this movie, it's like they're not even from the same universe.

My work schedule is such that I can only see movies during the summer, but each summer I see dozens and dozens. Last summer, for example, I saw practically everything playing at the theaters within the space of a few days. "I, Robot" was the film I liked the most. I vowed I would get the DVD as soon as it became available.

What I liked most about this movie was the script. It was by turns funny, suspenseful, thought-provoking, etc. In fact, it's a really good script to study if you're into writing your own: it can boast textbook models of how a writer should handle reversals, foreshadowing, payoff, character arc, etc. And the conclusion and the prelude both made sense, total sense! In short, not a line out of place.

Other things that could sink the movie are held in check: Will Smith, while perhaps not the ideal candidate for the job, delivers a believable and versatile performance.

The special effects shots help the movie along, rather than drag it in their wake. What noticeable shots there are really do more to creep you out than overawe you (e.g., the horde of evil robots scaling the USR building).

I was very surprised to read many reviews of this movie (after I saw it), which panned it. It is very difficult for me to see how somebody could see this as a stinker, and I'm the kind of guy who usually only likes about 1 out of every 20 movies I see.

Naturally, there's zero depth to the film, of course; as long as you know this beforehand, you'll be unlikely to regret investing a couple of hours in this movie.

I hate to be a book snob when reviewing a movie, but when the title of the movie is "I, Robot" and is said to be "inspired by" the classic science fiction collection by Isaac Asimov, one would have a reasonable assumption that the movie would bear some similarity and passing understanding of the source material. Then, when the director of the movie is Alex Proyas, the director of the excellent "Dark City", there is a level of intelligence that is expected from the film version of "I, Robot".

I don't know what happened.

This is such a disappointment. Without spoiling a single plot detail I can reveal almost exactly how much this movie resembles the book: The Three Laws of Robotics, a couple of character names (most notably Susan Calvin), the title, and that there are, in fact, robots. That just about covers any similarity the astute viewer may find with the book. This is unfortunate because any one of a number of the "I, Robot" stories could have been used as a launching pad for an intelligent science fiction movie. Or, even the later Elijah Bailey Robot novels would have worked. But this? There is the barest framework of a plot, the barest scrapings of Asimov's ideas, and wrapped tightly around this is a silly action movie.

The problem is only half about the movie itself. By calling itself "I, Robot" there is a level of expectation of what sort of movie this will be and what it will be about. Imagine, perhaps if Peter Jackson made Lord of the Rings with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Gandalf and Gandalf ran around hitting the Orcs with moves you might only see in "Conan the Destroyer". That's a moderately fair comparison in making "I, Robot" into nothing more than a flashy action movie and how exactly Alex Proyas did this is completely beyond my understanding.

My guess is that the studio took a lot of control away from Proyas' vision. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. But let's think about "I, Robot" as something other than an offshoot of Asimov's work. How does it work as a mindless action movie? On these terms "I, Robot" isn't that bad. It's nothing special and we've seen it dozens of times. Will Smith does fine as a the wise cracking detective investigating a murder of a human where the only possibly suspect is a robot except a robot couldn't do it because of the three laws. Smith is actually quite a bit more serious in this role than one might expect. He cracks wise often enough, but overall is toned down and has a seething anger towards robots just under the surface. It works. The action probably works better on a larger screen than a smaller television, but for a simple action movie I suppose "I, Robot" can pass muster.

Forget that this movie is science fiction because it really isn't. Forget that this movie is inspired by Asimov's classic work because it really isn't. Forget that this should have been and could have been an excellent, intelligent and still entertaining movie, because it isn't. If you're looking for just a decent action movie with very few claims to be anything else besides some lip service paid to the plot...here you go.

-Joe Sherry

This film has eye-popping visual feats, and what makes them special are the ideas and humanity behind them. A rare sci-fi thriller that works as both science-fiction and mystery, this film is not a strict adaptation of the Asimov short stories, but its plot is truly labyrinthine, it works a specific theme, and is happy to end in a shroud of enigma. One of the very best films of the summer, this one will continue to grow in reputation as more people see it and realize it is much more than just another "Will Smith summer movie." A murder mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, spell-binding action, wonderful characters, and a CGI robot you really care about. The ending is a classic, and despite a few unnecessary one-liners, the shocking thing is that Hollywood released such a moody piece in July, probably not realizing that the filmmakers had made something far beyond the usual popcorn flick. See this film. I, fan.

The producers of this film were so intent on getting Will Smith to star that they changed the story and 'invented' his character. In the book Det. Spooner didn't exist. However, in a world that can 'reinvent' remakes, why not a classic book? That note aside the movie itself is pretty good. Loads of action and spectacular special effects dominate this film. It really moves at a fast clip with confident direction and solid performances by all. It really is a lot of fun to watch, with that "Independence Day" popcorn feel. A great way to spend an evening, or rainy day.

A very pleasant surprise, I Robot, brings to the screen exactly what the title implies: Robots-and lots of them!
But that is not the only thing that there is plenty of; it combines action, adventure and comedy, making this movie definitely worth watching.
Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, and the rest of the cast carry out their performances well, though Will Smith does overdo it with his character's "attitude problem"/ "Chip on his shoulder"etc; it gets tiring after a while, not to mention unrealistic (e.g. being sarcastic and giving the billionaire owner of the robot company a "hard time").
Nevertheless, the setting, the plot, and the special effects are all wonderful, not to mention the ending, which is great.
Therefore, I would definitely line up to watch a sequel!

Although I read Asimov when I was young, I didn't recall enough of it to spoil the movie for me. In fact, I read elsewhere that the movie only loosely follows pieces of Asimov's famous short story collection.

That being said, I loved the movie - it was highly entertaining, and a little philosophical, but not over-the-top philosophical like AI was (and nowhere near as lengthy). Will Smith does his usual fine job on screen, so you won't be disappointed with the acting. Don't listen to the critics who warned you away from seeing this movie - they were wrong again, as usual.

It didn't occur to me when I read Asimov years ago, but I finally "got" the significance of Dr. Calvin's name... John Calvin was a theologian of the reformation who argued that humans are pre-destined by God, and therefore do not have free will. Asimov's Dr. Calvin believes that the three laws of robotics make it impossible for a robot to have their own free will, and in a sense pre-destines their fate with humanity. Oh well, enough philosophy for a simple movie review. You'll have to see the movie if you want to know more.

The DVD also comes w/ some nice featurettes on the making of the movie, cast & director interviews, the writings of Asimov on robots, and various other of the usual things the studio throws in whenever they have some space left over on the disc.

My final recommendation is: five stars for the movie, and four stars for the supplemental material and packaging. This will make a great Christmas present for that sci-fi fan in your family.

After suffering through Will Smith's sleepwalk performance in MIB II, I was pleased by the energy level he brings to this fast paced fun movie. Smith lives in a world where robots are commonplace, serving humans (reminicent of the 4th Planet of the Apes movie) as nannies, butlers, and general servants. He is called to solve the murder of a scientist, who was his friend. The only possible suspect seems to be a robot. The only problem is that robots are subject to Isaac Asimov's 3 laws, meaning that it is impossible for a robot to harm a human.

As things progress we also learn that Smith, a robot hater, is part robot himself, with some bionic parts. As things progress we find out that there maybe the three laws are not absolute and there may be some ways around it.

There are some fast paced tense scenes and there are some enjoyable supporting characters such as Smith's mother and the lady robot scientist that Smith seems to like.