Tired Pastiche of Sci Fi Clichés

Rating: 2/10 (19 December 2005)

I was thinking that the target audience for "I, Robot" was 12-year-old boys who have not read the original science fiction by Isaac Asimov that posited The 3 Laws or seen any science fiction movies, but surely even they have seen at least a "Matrix" or a "Terminator" movie where machines take over so that what are supposed to be climactic scenes here of robot revolution are just been-there-seen-that.
Will Smith and some interesting dialog about robot-prejudice, that I'm willing to bet was inserted by the usually serious Academy Award-winning writer Akiva Goldsman, save the movie from seeming like a total pastiche of other movies.
It is a bit much just how much music video director Alex Proyas uses the post-"Ali" Smith as pin-up fodder (maybe this is supposed to be the motivation for women ticket buyers?), let alone product endorser - he actually points out a pair of Converse sneakers several times to the camera, though the "Wall Street Journal" claims that a promotional fee was not paid.
It's also a continuing hypocrisy in the ratings system that Smith gets to utter many "sh*t"s in a PG-13 movie while Fahrenheit 9/11 got an "R," let alone the indie movies that have to carry "NC-17."
Bridget Moynahan does herself no favor in appearing opposite a robot with a soul, as Alan Tudyk's "Sonny" out acts her throughout the movie. While I suppose the target audience isn't looking at her acting abilities, would that the director had considered the minds of other potential fannies in the seats.
(originally written 7/28/2004)