Smart blockbuster with its fair share of thrills

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2004)

I, Robot comes across as a movie that very much fits the idea of three separate acts. Act one establishes the situation, act two is a conventional whodunit with act three an all action climax. The first two thirds of the movie actually throw up some interesting ideas, the concept that artificial intelligence can evolve to become more human, and tries to fathom what it means to be a robot or indeed to be human. Pretty deep ideas for a summer blockbuster, and perhaps that in the end, is too much for it. It's a nice try all the same and allows for some entertaining set pieces.
Alex Proyas manages to keep his eye on both the excitement and thought side of things, introducing us to the world through the eye's of Will Smith's Del Spooner. He very much helps ground the film, a sci-fi cop that was born outside of a time that would've suited him, i.e. the present. As he is told by one character, "The kind of guy that would've stopped the internet to keep people going to library's" (or words to that effect). Smith is a likable presence, and though some may not have warmed to his portrayal, I thought it helped keep the film "human", without his easygoing charm it could have been too detached to be likable. However I would certainly say that his back story felt very much "been there seen it", surely there could've been a better explanation for why he didn't like robots. I did also feel some of the support characters seemed superfluous (what's with the kid?).
The conspiracy underpinning the plot is involving enough, and kept me hooked till the conclusion. Why would a giant robot producing corporation allow have conspired in the murder of their greatest inventor? Or was it suicide? And who's trying to "accidentally" kill Spooner and to cover what?
While figuring this out we are treated to the sight of Smith escaping from gigantic demolition robots, robots leaping out of trucks in a high speed car chase and finally scores of the blighter's storming the robotics lab. The CGI is very good, perhaps some of the best I've seen and Proyas directs the action with some zip, without over editing.
The script probably aspires to more than what it eventually delivers, but as far as blockbuster cinema goes this is a superior effort. Overall for the cool vfx, enjoyable action set pieces, the engaging Big Willie performance and the engrossing murder mystery suspense plot with a dash of philosophical robotics theorizing, I'd give it eight out of ten.