Film Review: I, Robot (2004)

Science fiction fans have come to expect little from Hollywood's adaptation of literary classics of the genre, but even by those low standards, I, Robot, 2004 adaptation of famous 1950 short story collection by Isaac Asimov, is a colossal disappointment.

Initially, the script, titled Hardwired, had nothing to do with Asimov's work. Written by Jeff Vintar in 1990s, it was a futuristic murder mystery involving robots. It wasn't until 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to Asimov's stories that the title was changed, and a few superficial references were added, such as the Three Laws of Robotics, the name of the main robotics corporation, and the character of Dr. Susan Calvin.

Set in Chicago in 2035, the plot revolves around a world where omnipresent humanoid robots have taken over much of the labor from humans. The protagonist, police detective Del Spooner (played by Will Smith), hates robots with a passion. When he is called to investigate the apparent suicide of Dr. Albert Lanning (played by James Cromwell), the founder of US Robotics, the main robots manufacturing company, he concludes that the perpetrator is actually a robot that has somehow circumvented the Three Laws of Robotics. The main suspect is Sonny (played by Alan Tudyk), a prototype of the new N5 robot that has been given emotions. Spooner attempts to find Sonny, aided by robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin (played by Bridget Moynahan).

Whether someone can enjoy I, Robot depends on whether they have previously read Asimov's stories or not. If they have, the film is a awfully disappointing experience. The script, reworked with the help of Akiva Goldsman, not only removes all the exploration of important ethical, psychological, and other issues related to robotics from the original but also simplifies the murder mystery to an almost childish level.

The worst aspect of the film is the protagonist, tailored to exploit the screen persona of Will Smith at the time. Spooner is a one-dimensional rogue blue-collar policeman, much like countless others used in police films over the past forty years. He is an anti-technological Luddite and anti-intellectual, which is the opposite of everything Asimov wrote about. Even Smith's undeniable charisma and charm cannot save this character.

The rest of the characters fare no better, with the exception of Sonny, brought to life by Alan Tudyk's CGI-enhanced performance. The film is further hampered by a series of non-stop CGI action sequences that become repetitive and annoying. The thousands of CGI robots serve as a constant reminder of the film's shortcomings, reminiscent of the poorly received Phantom Menace.

In comparison to Bicentennial Man, previous major adaptation of Asimov's work, I, Robot is a significantly worse film, despite its modest box office success. Critics universally panned the movie, and even the director, Alex Proyas, described the production as an "unpleasant experience." Most science fiction fans people who watch this could say the something similar.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

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