I, Robot -- I, Want Refund

Rating: 4/10 (19 July 2004)

This movie serves as a good way to judge critics. Any critic who likes this movie should be completely ignored from now on. This is bad, bad, bad. I didn't think Will Smith could get a worse script than the plot of "Independence Day" where he has to dock with the alien ship to give it a computer virus. But "I, Robot" tops it. First, you should get up and walk out of any movie that starts with a dream sequence, especially when it concludes with a dumb look of the person having the dream upon waking up. Second, the movie, I think, sets the record for the number of product placements in the first five minutes. It's a blatant slap in the face to the audience that lets them know right off the bat this movie is purely about making money rather than making a good movie. It's fitting that the end of the film says the same with the obvious conclusion that there will be a sequel. Wow, is the plot bad. It's not even worthy of a made-for-TV movie on the SciFi channel. Many parts don't really connect and the explanations are laughable. For instance, the idea that there would be a whole section on the outskirts of town with old robots -- that are still active -- is ludicrous. I mean, why would you leave this "junk" on? Wouldn't the battery at least go out on these old robots? And I couldn't believe when it is revealed that robot-hating Will Smith has -- you guessed it, a robot arm! Add another cliché to your movie glossary, Ebert. Perhaps worst of all is Shia LaBoeuf's character. After a great performance in "Holes," I find it hard to believe his career has tanked this soon that he has to resort to such a meaningless and dumb bit part. This movie is so unoriginal, the robot's voice sounds like every other robotic voice going back to "2001." "I, Robot" is by far the worst major movie of the summer so far. It is all flash, and the flash isn't even that great.