"I, Robot" – A Logical Choice for Fun
If summer films generally have the budget and the
desire to bring wild imaginings to life, then "I,
Robot" gets good bang for every dollar that it
spent. Credit the artists for making the future
look distant yet recognizable. Taking place in
Chicago circa 2035, the era boasts intelligent
vehicles that have eliminated traffic snarls. It
has a transformed skyline that enhances the Windy
City's beauty. We can glimpse innovative uses of
holographic technology. Particularly
astonishing, though, is the proliferation of
lifelike, robotic valets.
Will we be able to buy one of these at the
Sharper Image at some point? Humanoid-like in
appearance, possessing a soothing voice, and
exhibiting an exoskeleton that seems like
something you would grip on one of those
space-aged pens, these machines carry out tasks
from the mundane to the dangerous. None of that
impresses Detective Spooner (Will Smith),
however, who holds a deep distrust for them even
though robots have never committed a crime nor
have they ever been deemed a danger to the human
race. That's thanks to the fundamental 3-Law
Principle (the robotic equivalent of the Ten
Commandments) that has been embedded into their
program by robotics pioneer Dr. Lanning (James
Cromwell). These laws govern their behavior so
that humans remain safe. The newest generation
of robots, set for nationwide, large-scale
distribution, will be his life's crowning
achievement. Thus his recent suicide baffles the
motivated detective.
"I, Robot" is based on various elements of Isaac
Asimov's sci-fi robot stories. It presents the
delicate relationship between man and machine.
One the one side is the reckless ways of humanity
who engage in war and ever-increasing creative
ways to kill off one another. The other side
comprises the robots with their evolving
positronic brains that calculate the best way to
keep their master's and creator's safe. This
brings forth not only a creative premise but also
an interesting paradox as well.
It explores how both sides are reliant on one
another. For example, Dr. Lanning needs the
resilience of his robotic creation, Sonny (voiced
by Alan Tudyk), to counter an impending dangerous
situation. Sonny, meanwhile, is a seemingly
cognizant being who is unique. The paradoxes
continue with Spooner and another character, Dr.
Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), who migrates from
frostbitten scientist to caring citizen as she
helps the detective with his investigation. But
the human element is somewhat sacrificed in favor
of an action-police story. And we wished that
more attention were given to its other characters
such as Spooner's down-home grandmother and a
scrappy grunge-boy. Its only really poignant
segment, which occupies only 5 minutes, involves
a car accident that helped to shape Spooner's
life.
Nonetheless, the film is a lot of fun. Will
Smith exhibits his smart-alecky sense of humor
and shows us once again that he can headline a
big-budget summer film. He endures the obstacles
of his investigation, which include a thrill ride
through a tunnel, a narrow escape on motorcycle,
and a climactic battle atop a catwalk. In the
meantime, he tries to put together the pieces of
a puzzle that is much more complex than this kind
of film normally possesses. "I, Robot" is a
modest yet sublime offering that provides a
little bit of a mental challenge and a whole lot
of summer escapism.
Note: watching a film like this makes you more
curious about Asimov and his writings. To learn
more, just log on
(http://www.asimovonline.com/asimov_home_page.html).
Grade: B+
S: 0 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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X-RAMR-ID: 38302
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1300367
X-RT-TitleID: 1134097
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+
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