I,  ROBOT -  A  Narada Film Review

    WILL SMITH  as   
    Detective Spooner   
       
    WILL SMITH 
         and
    BRIGETTE MOYNAHAN   
    
    -They were the     
    film's NON-item.
     
   SONNY the Robot   
   -The enhanced IE-5   
   Series robot...
I, Robot - 2004   - Alex Proyas -Director   &   Laurence Mark - Producer
   First - to allay confusion for those who actually intend to go see I, ROBOT.   No matter what you may think you think, Sonny the robot is not being played by Robin Williams stuck in his Bicentennial Man schtick, as an acquaintance has suggested.    (Noting that Bicentennial Man was also an Isaac Asimov story.)   It should have been quite obvious to him that Sonny was far more intelligent and expressive than Robin Williams.   -Not to mention that Sonny's milky, translucent skin was much more lifelike.
         I, ROBOT might have been a smash box-office sensation back in 1950 when Isaac Asimov penned the short story.   Half a century ago, his "Three Laws of Robotics" were considered fascinating by mainstream Sci-Fi buffs - however, now they are seen as absurdly naive by every seven year-old who has ever seen Terminator or Robocop, or, or, or...
         Having said that, I, ROBOT still could have had a sporting chance of success had it stuck faithfully to the Asimov tale.   This was not destined to be, however, as the film actually started out as a Jeff Vintar screenplay (Hardwired), and only later did Producer Lawrence Mark approach the Asimov estate for permission to make a hybrid of the two tales.   And on paper, this should have worked - a neat little murder mystery, slowly, thoughtfully sleuthed, and eventually solved by the persistent cop.   BUT, almost predictably, things rapidly began disintegrating... I, ROBOT is so full of plot holes, there is no way to spoil it, even if I tell you what they are.   
         One of the plot-holes, large enough to drive a fire truck through : - Our Detective Spooner (Will Smith) cleverly deduces early on that not only did the Professor NOT kill himself, but, because the room was, and has been sealed since the time of the murder, the killer must still be in the room - and they quickly turn out Sonny the robot, hiding there in that very room.   However, later, Sonny is exonerated, but we never find out who, or what, killed the professor.   There is just no excusing Hollywood for this, this is a new low in entertainment, even in this current day and age of Robin Williams.
      Enduring Line or Phrase:  "... also says what they can put back."

Copyright © 2004,    Bangkok Eyes / bangkokeyes.com
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