For a pretty standard sci-fi story, I, Robot sure holds a person's interst--especially in 1080p eyepopping HD.
Tools:
Send to a friend »
For a pretty standard sci-fi story, "I, Robot" sure holds a person's interest--especially in 1080p eye-popping HD.
That's because it's also a police procedural that begins when Chicago detective Del Spooner (Will Smith, in one of his more matter-of-fact, natural-feeling roles) is summoned to a crime scene in the year 2035 at the city's tallest building: the corporate headquarters of U.S. Robotics, with its imposing stone robots flanking the building like ominous guards.
It wasn't a phone call that brought him there. It was a message from the victim himself, USR co-founder Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), whose hologram engages the detective in a Q&A while his body lies there on the floor behind them.
Lanning, you see, was the creator of the robots that this corporation sells worldwide. His death comes at an inconvenient (or is it convenient?) time, because the company's new campaign vows to put a robot in every home. They're also hawking a massive offer to replace everyone's NS-4 model with the newest NS-5--so what, are monopoly and anti-trust laws defunct in the not-so-distant future? Lanning is the one who, as in the Isaac Asimov fiction that "suggested" this screenplay, came up with the three rules for robots that are hardwired into every one of their artificial brains:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, 2) A robot must obey orders given by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law, and 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection doesn't conflict with the First or Second Law.
And therein lies a slight problem. One gets the feeling that if the doctor had made it a full 10 commandments for biomechanical beings, maybe everything wouldn't play out so simply. We know fairly early that there's something up with this new line of NS-5s and that USR CEO Lawrence Robertson (Bruce Greenwood) is up to no good. While the script by Jeff Vintar isn't devoid of mystery, there aren't a whole lot of twists, turns, or surprising reveals that we can't anticipate. But that doesn't make "I, Robot" a bust. On the contrary, it leaves the film to play out a little like a "Columbo" episode, where the fun isn't trying to figure out a complex case, but in watching the detective hunt down the killer. Or, in this case, also vice versa. The biggest mystery isn't the whodunit that starts the plot in motion, but recurring nightmares that Det. Spooner has involving a robot and the occupants of a car underwater--something that's evoked in the title sequence background imagery.
Every movie cop needs a sidekick or somebody to react to--even loners--and that bill is filled by Bridget Moynahan, who plays Dr. Susan Calvin, a psychologist who helps make the robots more human and who gives the detective a tour of the building that turns into a semi-tour of duty for her. We're not far into the film before the first threat emerges, and a robot who later identifies himself as Sonny (voiced by Alan Tudyk) jumps out from hiding in the late Dr. Lanning's office and disappears out the window that Lanning supposedly launched himself from in a suicide attempt. Sonny's true nature becomes the focus of the film, and while we have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen next, we're not absolutely sure.
"I, Robot" was nominated for a Best Achievement in Visual Effects Oscar, and there isn't a frame that goes by when you don't marvel at the production design or the special effects--one especially memorable scene coming when two trucks full of robots try to eradicate Det. Spooner during a high-speed drive down the Chicago freeways, the tunnels of which look convincingly futuristic. And the robots themselves look awfully good, with a palpable realism that brings the future closer.
Not all of the elements are futuristic, though. Spooner's superior, Lt. John Bergin (Chi McBride) seems like every gruff no-nonsense "I'll have your ass on a platter" police chief that's dogged every maverick cop since "Dirty Harry," and moments when Spooner interacts with his Granny seem absolutely rooted in today's culture. But such elements add a familiarity that helps us connect on a visceral level with Spooner and a world where robots are as common on the streets as people--walking dogs, hauling trash, and running errands for the humans that own them.
And of course, no review of a futuristic/sci-fi film would be complete without some mention of the production designer, since so much rests on our willingness to believe that what we're seeing is indeed a fast-forward. I think Patrick Tatopoulos deserves some applause, though he didn't earn an Oscar nomination. Same with director Alex Proyas ("The Crow"), who manages just the right tone and pacing, while presiding over some awesome effects. As much as the performers in this film who help to sell it, the robots cam make this a hit or miss movie. And they're a hit.
Avearage user rating (1-5):