Robots get owned by moronic, yet cool detective.

Rating: 2/10 (26 May 2006)

I have been a science fiction fan for a while now, and 'I, Robot' can in no way considered to be scientific fiction. At best, it is ridiculous, albeit slightly entertaining fiction. This movie has nothing to do with Asimov's series at all, except the three laws of robotics and the names of some characters. It makes a mockery of all that the series stood for. In the series, Asimov tried to depict the robots as 'nice guys' who always did what was best for human beings. In this movie, the exact opposite direction is taken, and the robots become killing machines. I for one believe that this is definitely not something that Asimov would have approved of, and this is the main flaw of the film. There are several other flaws as well, one of the major ones being the casting. Bridget Moynahan as Susan Calvin? Does not work. Susan Calvin is supposed to be the best (only?) robopsychologist in the world, and is not given to emotions. Ms. Moynahan is hardly convincing in her portrayal. Will Smith plays the lead as a robot-hating, no-nonsense ass kicking detective, not unlike the robots, and all attempts at credibility are left in his wake. The one difference between the man who saves mankind (read Mr. Smith) and the robots is the fact that Mr. Smith has a dark sense of humor, and comes up with some stupid one-liners that would be more at home in a movie like Big Trouble in Little China, and cause the audience to laugh at him, instead of with him. Also, it is great to be brain washed with advertisements in the movie, ('Vintage 2004'), so that we know which of the big brand names in our lives will still be around and still be cool in 2035. The effects could have been the saving grace of the movie, but it is too far gone to be saved. The explosions and Will Smith whooping some serious metal ass is all very well, but it is out of place, and at the very least an insult to any true science fiction fan. The only way to derive any satisfaction from this movie is to leave your brains at home, which is difficult to do. In summary, a pathetic excuse for science fiction, and a travesty of Asimov's series.