I, Robot is a
movie I found myself loving much more after watching it. The character Del
(Will Smith) is obsessed with proving that robots can’t be fully trusted, while
a lonely robot tries to prove his innocence. This makes the movie captivating,
with two initially parallel stories meeting in the middle to unveil a
conspiracy, leading to an explosive tale of a man and a robot against the
forces.
I, Robot is
loosely based on Isaac Asimov’s short stories, also named I, Robot, and picks
up major plot elements from Asimov’s 1953 novel, the first of the Robot series,
The Caves of Steel.
The film is set
in a futuristic world where robots have become an integral part of human
existence. These robots are governed by three major rules:
- First Law: A robot must never harm a human
being or, through inaction, allow any harm to come to a human.
- Second Law: A robot must obey the orders
given to them by human beings, except where such orders violate the First
Law.
- Third Law: A robot must protect its own
existence unless this violates the First or Second Laws.
In the future,
Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) blames robots for the death of his daughter,
as a robot chose to save his life instead of hers during a drowning incident.
The robot's choice was based on the calculation that there was a higher chance
of survival by saving his life. This event made Del view robots as a threat.
His fears start
to take shape when a robot is discovered that can operate outside the set rules
and has the ability to act out emotions.
The major
difference between the movie and the novels is the ending. Neither of the
novels featured a robot uprising or robots trying to curb mankind’s behavior.
The movie is
directed by Alex Proyas, who also directed the 1994 critical and box office hit
The Crow, which starred the late Brandon Lee (who tragically died after being
accidentally shot on set during the making of the film). Alex was also behind Dark
City (1998), which has a massive cult following and is often used as teaching
material, though it was a box office disappointment.
I, Robot didn’t receive much critical acclaim, and it did have its detractors. However, it made its money back at the global box office. I liked I, Robot for its Academy Award-nominated visual effects (which it lost to Spider-Man 2, though that wasn’t a surprise) and the story arc between a human and a robot trying to stop a bunch of robots from taking over.
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