MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER all over again...

Rating: 2/10 (2 February 2005)

Because it was directed by the man who gave us THE CROW (but who also gave us DARK CITY), I allowed myself to be talked into going to see this one. Had I only had the fortitude to stand my ground... I didn't expect much, so when I found myself watching what amounts to a Big Screen steal of Russ Manning's MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER (with a dash of Richard Corben's superbly satirical MANGLE, ROBOT MANGLER thrown into the mix), I was more than a little bit surprised. My first reaction when I heard that I, ROBOT would finally be brought to the big screen was outright joy: I'd read Harlan Ellison's script (based on the stories by Isaac Asimov) and I was eagerly looking forward to seeing THAT particular dream realized, at long last. Imagine my disillusionment when I saw the cardboard standee touting this "coming attraction." We've had more than enough mindless sci-fi foisted off on us these past three decades; it's about time somebody in Hollywoodland wised up and started cranking out something worth seeing.