HAL embodied? And not a really bad guy, after all? Watch this flick!

Rating: Null/10 (25 August 2004)

Hmm. I feel some of you amateur critics have been a little harsh. Being an avid sci-fi, film (most genres), fantasy geek, I was expecting low brow action funnery with little intellectual input. What I was treated to was a riveting parable, skillfully acted and directed, with the most plausible robot seen since HAL.
Will Smith, for once, hardly played for laughs, and was credible as a cynical, bitter hard nut. Moynahan (?) was unintentionally a bit funny, but transmitted the dilemma she was in well, and was quite moving.
Negative points? The car scene was a bit stupid and overblown, and I would have liked more emphasis on the plight of the older robots - one gained the impression that they were enslaved and oppressed, but they were only ever referred to as machines. There were several references to bigotism, which Will would have done well to have been able to capitalise upon. Oh, and why on earth was that demolition bot programmed to destroy the house? I'd have bloody squatted in it!
The star of the show was, of course, Sunny. How perfect that we got to see HAL embodied! Plus, the designers of the robots need to be congratulated for their manipulations insofar that you really feel for Sunny - what a lovely face!
And for the cynics amongst you - artificial intelligence WILL become sentient one day. It is written (by me, just now).
Another point. I am old enough to have scoffed at a certain B. Gates' proclamation the 'there will be a PC in every home.' No need to elaborate upon this.
To conclude: a cracking yarn. excellently acted, executed, totally credible special effects, the most lovable robot since 'Robbie' (yes, I am that old - Lost in Space, anyone?), nearing, but not quite, a modern parable, and the most exciting movie of the year.