I, Robot (2004) Movie Information:

I, Robot (2004) Directed by: Alex Proyas I, Robot (2004) Written by: Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Vintar I, Robot (2004) Cast: Will Smith, Alan Tudyk, Bridget Moynahan, Chi McBride, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Shia LaBeouf, Adrian Ricard, Jerry Wasserman, Fiona Hogan

I, Robot (2004) U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox I, Robot (2004) U.K. Distributor: 20th Century Fox

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I, Robot (2004) Synopsis:

The year is 2035. Detective Del Spooner is sent to an experimental space station to investigate the death of brilliant, eccentric scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning. Spooner is aided by psychologist Dr. Susan Calvin, and the death is initially labeled a suicide. Spooner, though, suspects that a robot may have perpetrated the crime. That seems unthinkable since robots are governed by The Three Laws of Robotics, which state that a robot may never harm or allow harm to come to a human being. As Spooner and Calvin investigate the death, they come to believe that a robot did, in fact, commit the crime. They are aided in their investigation by Dr. Lanning himself, who appears as a hologram, and reveals that he was working on a top secret project at the time of his death.

I, Robot (2004) Movie Review:

I, Robot is a futuristic thriller that is tangled and confused on what it wants to be. The film struggles back and forth from attempting to be a smart, dark, serious sci-fi film or a popcorn blockbuster full of one-liners from Will Smith.

Even with a flawed script, what does save the film is the creative direction by Alex Proyas, who was the man behind the obscure worlds of The Crow and Dark City.

Taking place in Chicago during 2035, technology has advanced to where “robots” (Automated Domestic Assistants) live among everyday families. The C-4’s are machines that walk the dogs, clean the house, cook, or whatever is needed of them. The technological robots were developed and distributed by USR (U.S. Robotics), who are now on the brink of distributing thousands of new and improved robot prototypes called C-5’s. Once distributed, one out of every five humans will have an amicable C-5 in their homes. The robots are specifically detailed and follow “The Three Laws of Robotics.”

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 it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Del Spooner (Will Smith) is a homicide detective that has a history with the robotic race and is appalled by their place in society. Spooner is much like the Harrison Ford character in Blade Runner, just cockier. After being called to an apparent suicide scene of USR’s robotic creator, Dr. Alan Lanning (James Cromwell), Spooner begins to think that foul play was involved. USR’s money hungry owner, Lawrence Robertson (Bruce Greenwood), reminds the detective of how wrong he is. Intent on his instincts and with the assistant of the USR’s robotic psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), Spooner is attacked by a robot he finds hiding in Lanning’s office. Without supposedly being able to feel emotions or make their own decisions, this robot named Sonny (Alan Tudyk) can and is the key to a larger secret that no one but Spooner sees coming. Of course, knowing of his demise for robots, everyone deems him as wrong and concludes that Sonny is just a defected robot.

Proyas futuristic Chicago is full of terrific production designs and special effects that make it more the setting more dimensional that first envision. The live-action special effects in this film are wonderful, and it is still amazing the steps that digital effects are taking. Sonny, who is totally computer-generated, is no Gollum, but still a solid example of the CGI advances of the last five years.

The action sequences in the film are for the most part well staged and exciting. The best being an underground tunnel car crash extravaganza, in which hundreds of robots begin attacking Spooner’s futuristic Audi. However, for every action sequence or critical moment in this film, the audience has to hear an another annoying one-liner from Will Smith. He talks his mouth off even when the robots are attacking his car. This is a big problem in I, Robot and to make matters worse the script is not that great. We have all heard this futuristic story before of what we make will evolve and revolt, and it has been done a lot better before (The Terminator, Minority Report, and Blade Runner).

The script by Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman moves from action sequence to action sequence, but is so loose that the surprises of the film are obvious way before they are revealed. The characters are also one-dimensional and vastly underdeveloped; including Shia LaBeouf’s wasted five-minute role. The unbalance comes into play, when the film is serious, then in the next sense it is a bonehead blockbuster with Will Smith doing his usual thing.

Proyas saves the film with his whimsical direction, even though he should have scratched a lot of Smith’s dialogue. Smith was in fact executive producer on the film, so that is why cutting of his lines probably did not happen. The film is a beauty to look at, and it is overall enjoyable to watch due to the director’s craft and vision. His camerawork also gives the film a little more spice, including spinning vertically around and around during the climatic finale. Even with the flair of a filmmaker like Alex Proyas, the script’s tendencies and lack of balanced structure hurt the film from being a true winner.

Will Smith has a likeable charisma and the camera loves him, but a role like Spooner does not call for his usual Men in Black antics. His emotional and anger-filled scenes in the film are fine, but the choice to unleash his comedy does bring the film down. Bridget Moynahan is pretty wooden throughout the entire film as Dr. Calvin, even though she does get to take out some robots in the last twenty minutes. James Cromwell is significant in his small role as the murdered Dr. Alan Lanning and Bruce Greenwood does his common slimeball routine as the questionable Robertson. Chi McBride arises in a role he has played over and over again as Spooner’s concerned boss. Lastly, Alan Tudyk, who recently played Steve the Pirate in Dodgeball, provides the movement and voice of the robot Sonny.

I, Robot has miscalculations, but is still at times fun to watch. Alex Proyas makes the film a lot better than what the script gives him to work with. If the film had chosen one set genre path, either as an expensive futuristic thriller or a pure popcorn blockbuster, either would have been more acceptable.

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I, Robot (2004) review written by: Bailey Henderson