Disappointing.

Rating: 4/10 (22 March 2005)

This film had potential, but seems to miss the point of Asimov's laws and misses the mark as a solid film.
Rather than really dig into the issue of the laws of Robotics, the film takes some very lazy Hollywood steps. It prefers to remain uncomplicated, explosive and very "by the mill".
It's a typical summer blockbuster, however when they throw the name of Asimov into the promotions, you expect something a little more cerebral from the film.
Will Smith is at home here. Wise cracking action hero of thunderingly dull proportions. While his back story is potentially interesting, it's handling is staggeringly predictable and follows every Hollywood cliché. So by the book are the comments and flashbacks throughout the movie, the end revelation to his past fails to live up to expectation.
Some great and not so great effects. I applaud the robot design, however it feels too ambitious for even this films budget and sometimes it looks very unrefined.
While the main robot is interesting, his involvement is shoved far into the background in favour of Will Smith's character will they/won't they with the second lead.
So in the end, if you aren't interesting in science fiction concepts, you like a no brainer, you feel that watching Will Smith leaping off a motorcycle guns a blazin' isn't even slightly stupid or out of place... this might be the movie for you.
This attempts to be a thriller but in the end gives up after 30 minutes and decides to opt for what the studio really wanted - a "by the numbers" whizz, bang, pop affair of messy proportions.
What makes the whole thing worse is the final 3 minutes is actually rather good.. it's just the bit between the first thirty minutes and the last three which really bored me to death.
Watch "I, Robot" with at least several cans of beer and you'll probably just relax and let the movie take you. Failing the beer, a half completed crossword should get you through the Hollywood clichés and to the fairly decent bits.