Not bad, but when is Will going to grow up?

Rating: 6/10 (15 July 2004)

When I hear that Will Smith is connected to yet another summer blockbuster, I have to take a deep breath and simply hope that this was just another 'get it out of the way when I am young' roles for the now 35-year old. Bursting on to the film scene in 1993's wonderful Six Degrees of Separation (for those of you about to e-mail me, I do realize he was in Fresh Prince on television and was also in the Ted Danson flop Made in America - that is why I said 'bursting'), Smith showed us plenty of talent, loads of good looks and demonstrated an acting ability that had many believe that this possible up-and-comer might be the next black acting star and help take some of the torch bearing burden from Mr. Denzel Washington.
Well, that was ten plus years ago now and perusing up and down Smith's filmography are films like Men in Black (I & II), Wild Wild West, Bad Boys (I & II) and Independence Day. Giving credit where it is due, there was also an Academy Award nomination for the 2001 biopic Ali, but outside of that one anomaly, it doesn't look like Mr. Smith will be putting on his jogging suit and reaching back for Denzel's torch any time soon.
Enter the 2004 summer campaign and Will is at it again with the sci-fi thriller I, Robot. In the film, adapted from a short story by Isaac Asmiov, Will plays Del Spooner, a Chicago Police Detective who is called in to investigate the murder of an employee of the U.S. Robotics company which manufactures these life sized human robotic aides capable of almost anything a human can realize. Want your dog walked? My wires-in-his-head robot is your solution. Need someone to take the kids to school? Domo-origato, Mr. Roboto. Want someone murdered? Well..
The robots have three laws to which they have to abide. Law #1: Robot cannot harm a human being or by action allow a human being to be harmed. Law #2: A robot must obey orders given by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law and Law #3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second laws.
Taking into account that these rules are hardwired into every robot manufactured, there is no room or reason for suspicion when the creator of the robot force is found at the bottom of a high-rise building the result of what is first expected as suicide. But Detective Spooner doesn't trust the robots for reasons to be revealed later (and to be believed much much later), and he pursues the possibility of a robot with violent behavior against the wishes of his department chief and on the eve of the largest distribution of robots in history.
Uh-oh, this can't be good.
I, Robot was a surprisingly entertaining film in a summer where blockbusters last for an opening week-end and fade from memory before we get our bank statement detailing our ticket purchase. Will Smith doesn't really have much to do except flex his muscles and react to what was probably a tennis ball on a broom stick until the CGI guys did their part. However the special effects that are included are top rate. The robots attack like ants in the hundreds and are more effectively used in their battle sequences that say the droids used in the past two George Lucas films. They are ruthless, yet vulnerable which at least gives the human race a chance and doesn't give us the feeling that the attempt at fighting back is futile.
Directed by Alex Proyas (Dark City), I, Robot takes its time trying to figure out what kind of film it wants to be. Part science fiction, part adventure/thriller and part who-dunnit, the film takes us in many different directions and lucky doesn't have us lose interest along the way. Accredited can be a smart script by Jeff Vintar that aside from the usual smart ass comments every film hero must now find variations ('Somehow "I told you so" just doesn't quite say it.'  Yeeaaasch!), is unique and zips along at a good pace. Think Minority Report with more wires and plastic.
Granted the film does have its share of missteps. The humor is hit and miss with more miss than hit and a scene where a mob of humans armed with bats and chains (in the years 2035, I might add) set out to rumble on the streets with a robot army, was just too stupid and ill advised to take seriously.
Luckily the action scenes such as a demolitions robot destroying a house or robots jumping from their transport onto the detectives car are good enough to help you forget the pitfalls. In fact, not since A.I. have I wished a film had less humans and more of the robotic creations to carry the story.
So in a summer of alright films, I, Robot finds its place amongst them like a sapling in the forest. I just wished Will Smith wasn't it in. Not that he doesn't do his best, but I am tired of waiting for that once so promising spark, and until you grow up, I guess Denzel will have to pin his hopes on say, Jamie Foxx.