Alex (Alex Frost, Elephant, 2003)
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Alex (Alex Frost, Elephant, 2003) |
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These are the three laws that provide the basis for human/robot interaction in this latest futuristic sci-fi action thriller, I, Robot. Taking place in the near future, the film creates a compelling vision of Chicago in 2035, where robots are the wave of the future...as common a household appliance as a refrigerator or microwave. In a summer where sci-fi action flicks are somewhat scarce (The Chronicles of Riddick and Alien vs. Predator are the only other main contenders), this is a welcome breath of fresh air. This is also Will Smith's chance to prove he can carry a movie on his own (after the somewhat disappointing "Ali"), without the help of Martin Lawrence or Tommy Lee Jones. Being a fan of science fiction cinema, I must say I left the theater pleasantly surprised and thoroughly entertained...which is more than I was expecting. The movie has its share of predictable elements and summer blockbuster cliches, but this is one of the best movies to emerge from Hollywood so far this summer, and probably the most engrossing sci-fi thriller since Minority Report. And some of the one-liners are just classic. Based on the classic short stories by Isaac Asimov, the movie stars Will Smith as Detective Del Spooner, the only detective on the Chicago Police Department with acute paranoia and a serious case of "robophobia". On the eve of mass-production of the technologically advanced NS-5 Series Robot, Spooner's friend, Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), is found dead on the main lobby floor of U.S. Robotics, the massive robot-producing conglomerate of the future. Dr. Lanning, who was the head of robotics and cybernetic research, died from an apparent suicidal leap from a tenth story window. There's only one little twist...the robophobic Spooner doesn't think it's suicide. What does he think happened? A robot did it, of course. How can this be possible, you ask, considering the Three Laws? It doesn't matter to Spooner, who is determined to prove that a robot committed the crime. Everybody around him tells him he's crazy, including his boss, Lt. Bergin (Chi McBride), and U.S. Robotics CEO Lawrence Robertson (Bruce Greenwood). It's not until Spooner stumbles across Sonny (Alan Tudyk) while investigating the crime scene do people start to question the possibility of a robot killer. Sonny, it seems, is a very unique robot who has the ability to disobey the Three Laws, and he quickly becomes Spooner's prime suspect. Since every robot is built with the Three Laws embedded into their programming, suspicions quickly arise. Now it's up to Spooner, with the help of U.S. Robotics technician Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) to infiltrate the robotics corporation and get to the bottom of his friend's murder.  The film is directed by Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City), who keeps the film moving at a fast pace and is constantly blowing us away with impressive visual effects. I couldn't help but notice several Matrix-style "bullet time" scenes, especially towards the end, and it took a little away from the overall "wow" factor. The vision of futuristic Chicago portrayed in the movie is definitely interesting, but I don't think I still want to be around in 2035 if three beers cost $46.95. I mean, what kind of sick, twisted future is that? The CGI-enhanced skyscapers and "modern" touches are visually stunning (does EVERYONE drive an Audi?), but seem a little too advanced for just 30 years in the future. I know I get carried away with this sometimes, but this is definitely a female-oriented summer movie season. We were given several gratuitous views of Brad Pitt's bare ass in Troy (with barely any female nudity), and I wasn't at all surprised to find myself looking at Will Smith's naked cheeks in this movie. We're given a brief scene in the beginning of the film where Big Willie is showering with the curtain open. Oh, of course in an interview he said the scene was "crucial to the plot" and was necessary for the character. Yeah, like they couldn't have filmed that scene from the waist up. And then later, when Bridget Moynahan's in the shower, do we see anything? Hell no...they decide to FOG UP THE SHOWER DOOR. But, that's just the way it goes sometimes...and I'm nitpicking. It's just something I've happened to notice this summer.The movie is headlined by an impressive cast, and Will Smith's performance is entertaining, to say the least. He's channeling a bit of Mike Lowrey from Bad Boys (and he still seems very eager to show off those post-Ali muscles), but since both roles are cops, that's hard to avoid. We get several of Will Smith's trademark one-liners, the best of which was a scene in which Spooner and Robertson are squaring off in the CEO's office as Robertson emphatically denies any robot involvement to the murder. Spooner suddenly erupts in a sneezing fit, then casually states, "Oh, I'm sorry...I'm allergic to bullshit." That has to be one of the funniest lines I've heard in a while. The rest of the supporting cast is good in their respective roles, with the performance of Alan Tudyk (the idiot who thought he was a pirate in this summer's Dodgeball) as Sonny standing out among the rest. Filmed using the same technology as Gollum in Lord of the Rings, the character of Sonny is one of the most entertaining aspects of the movie, and he even tends to upstage Will Smith towards the end. That robot is pretty badass at the film's climax. The lovely Bridget Moynahan is under-used here, with no romantic sub-plot, and she isn't given much to do outside of the "sidekick" role. She was good in The Sum Of All Fears and The Recruit, and she first caught my eye as the sexy bartender in Coyote Ugly. Chi McBride and Bruce Greenwood give excellent supporting performances and accompany the tone of the film well. I was definitely worried when I heard that screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (who was responsible for writing Batman & Robin) contributed to the screenplay, but based on the solid source material, the story is well-written and very entertaining. So, while engaging, imaginative thrillers have been a rarity at the multiplexes this summer, I, Robot is definitely one of this summer's stand-outs. And in the "Summer of the Male Ass", I have to say it's one of the highlights. |
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