The credits of I,
Robot delicately state that the movie was “suggested” by the work of Isaac
Asimov, one of the most famous and successful writers of science fiction back
in the Golden Age of the 1950s. The picture, however, differs drastically from
the original collection of short stories, especially in transforming some of
Asimov’s premises and situations into the basis for a combination of mystery
story and special effects blockbuster, what might be called a high
technothriller.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย At
the same time, the script employs the moral and philosophical foundations of
the stories in its use of the famous Three Laws of Robotics, all of which
involve the controls that prevent robots from harming human beings.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Set
in Chicago in 2035, the picture stars Will Smith as a homicide detective named
Spooner, investigating the alleged suicide of the scientist (James Cromwell)
who invented the advanced robots that now replace slaves and servants in the
home and workplace. Distrusting robots himself, for reasons the picture later
explains, Spooner believes that machines somehow managed to violate the Laws
and kill their inventor.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Against
the orders of his supervisor and in contradiction of all the principles of
robotics, he pursues his chief suspect, a particular robot, a new and improved
model, that his creator named Sonny (Alan Tudyk).
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In
the usual manner of the blockbuster, that central cop movie plot fades in and
out, often simply sinking into the background, overwhelmed by a series of wild
chases, furious fire fights, and desperate hand-to-hand battles. While Spooner
follows his case, to the detriment of his career, masses of robots, acting on
the commands of some unknown person, attack him, providing those obligatory
narrow escapes, near misses, explosions, and miscellaneous fireworks. All of
those events, naturally, exist to provide opportunities for a variety of
impressive special effects, the meat and potatoes of the summer blockbuster.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย More
important for the picture’s themes, Spooner, together with one of the
scientists at the robotics company (Bridget Moynahan), inquires into the true
nature of the new generation of robots. The latest models, produced to supplant
the existing machines, violate the Three Laws, mounting a revolution against
both humanity and their predecessors, and imposing a kind of martial law on the
community.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Since
both the government and the private sector have apparently relinquished all
important tasks to the robots, they have also lost the power to control them.
True to the nightmare dreamed by a variety of writers of the past,
mechanization takes command.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Spooner’s
gradual comprehension of the nature of the new generation of robots grows out
of his relationship with Moynahan and his communications with Sonny, who
develops into a fully sympathetic and likeable character in his own right. Like
any artificial humanoid in the great tradition of literature and cinema, from
Frankenstein’s monster to the little boy of A.I.:
Artificial Intelligence,the
machine yearns, above all, to be human.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Unlike
any of his fellows, Sonny expresses a desire for life, feels emotions and, most
important, he dreams. His vision culminates in a final moment of transcendence
that raises the picture a degree beyond the usual flick about machines running
amok.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Given
the premise of mechanisms that can perform a variety of complicated tasks, obey
spoken commands and respond in speech, repair and perhaps even replicate
themselves, the inventor in the picture raises the possibility that they can
also evolve on their own, developing emotions, volition, and identity.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The
film provides some striking and quite poignant examples of his theories in one
major sequence and in Sonny’s words and deeds. Sonny himself not only succeeds
in becoming a genuine personage, but rises to an unexpected level of existence,
suggesting that the machine can even attain a kind of spirituality that may be
entirely new in a robot flick.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Beyond
the fascinating philosophical and even theological implications, I, Robot handles its special effects
with a good deal of skill, especially in its depiction of the robots in massed
maneuvers, marching in step, moving in unison, fighting battles, mounting huge
assaults. Their articulated, insectoid bodies, their precisely regimented
movements, their relentless progress, their sheer numbers make them look very
like hordes of ants, which may well be the real inspiration for their cinematic
creation.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย As
for Will Smith, his laboriously delivered (and entirely unfunny) lines and
tiresome wisecracks, and his exaggerated performance impart very little in the
way of energy or entertainment to the movie. Sonny the robot steals every
scene.
I, Robot (PG-13), starring Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Tudyk, Bruce
Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride; suggested by Isaac Asimov’s book;
directed by Alex Proyas. Cinemark Tinseltown, Loews Webster, Pittsford Plaza
Cinema, Regal Culver Ridge, Regal Eastview, Regal Henrietta.
This article appears in Jul 21-27, 2004.
