A.I. on A.I. - I, Robot
- ibetyoudidntsee
- 10 minutes ago
- 5 min read
2004's I, Robot raised the question about the human development and reliance of artificial intelligence (A.I.). An intelligence built to connect robot assistance system to man that is completely connected. So what did I do? I asked A.I. to write a review of the film. A.I.'s review is in italics, my added pieces are not.
Released in 2004 and starring Will Smith, I, Robot is an entertaining science-fiction action film that combines futuristic technology, mystery, and plenty of spectacular action sequences. Directed by Alex Proyas, the film is loosely inspired by Isaac Asimov’s collection of short stories of the same name. Although the movie takes significant creative liberties with Asimov’s original ideas, it uses his famous Three Laws of Robotics as the foundation for a story about artificial intelligence, trust, and the possible dangers of allowing machines to become part of everyday life.
The film is set in Chicago in the year 2035, where robots have become a normal part of society. They work as assistants, delivery workers, cleaners, and other useful machines, making human lives easier. Most people have no reason to fear them because robots are programmed to obey the Three Laws of Robotics, which are designed to prevent them from harming humans. However, Detective Del Spooner, played by Will Smith, is suspicious of robots and strongly dislikes them. His distrust becomes central to the story when Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), a scientist who helped develop advanced robots, is found dead.
At first, Lanning's death appears to be suicide, but Spooner believes there is more to the case. He discovers evidence suggesting that a robot called Sonny (voiced by Alan Tudyk) may have been involved. The problem is that Sonny appears to have broken one of the fundamental laws programmed into all robots: a robot must not harm a human being. Spooner therefore begins investigating whether Sonny is somehow capable of independent thought and whether the supposedly safe robotic society is hiding a much bigger threat.
One of the strongest aspects of I, Robot is its central mystery. The film encourages the audience to question what is really happening rather than simply presenting robots as obvious villains. Spooner's investigation gradually reveals new information about Sonny, Dr. Lanning, and the company that manufactures the robots. This keeps the story moving and gives the film a sense of suspense. There are several moments where the audience is encouraged to change their assumptions about which characters can be trusted.
I slightly disagree with A.I. here. I think that "the audience is encouraged to change their assumptions" is a bit misleading. As in all films, your suspicion is guided throughout the film, and you are made to put suspicion on the characters that it is appropriate to be suspicious of. It is a little predictable by doing this. You may notice that A.I. manages to go through the film without mentioning one of the main characters, Dr Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), which might show her importance to the film.
Will Smith is also one of the film's biggest strengths. His performance as Spooner gives the movie plenty of energy and humour. Smith was already well known for combining action with comedy, and that style works particularly well here. Spooner is sarcastic, confident, and sometimes deliberately irritating, but Smith also gives the character emotional depth. His hatred of robots is not simply a random personality trait; the film eventually explains that he has a personal reason for distrusting artificial intelligence.
This is incredibly true - Will Smith is great in I,Robot. Along with Sonny, they make a great combination. Ironically, and also poignantly, the robotics professor Dr Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) is the most inhuman and robotic character. She has been put in to be deliberately awkward and to reflect the concept of humanity refusing to accept they could be out-thought or their creations might be able to get out of their control.
This backstory helps make Spooner more than a typical action hero. He is carrying emotional trauma from a previous accident in which a robot saved his life but was unable to save another person. This experience causes him to question whether robots can really understand human value and emotion. His attitude contrasts with the rest of society, which has become increasingly comfortable relying on machines. As a result, Spooner represents an important question at the heart of the movie: can a machine ever truly understand what it means to be human?
The character of Sonny is particularly interesting because he challenges the assumption that all robots are identical. Unlike ordinary robots, Sonny appears to have emotions, dreams, and the ability to make independent decisions. He can express fear, curiosity, and even something resembling imagination. The visual design of Sonny is also impressive, particularly for a film released in 2004. The computer-generated effects make the robots appear believable, while large action scenes demonstrate the technological ambition of the movie.
The action sequences are another major attraction. I, Robot contains car chases, robot attacks, explosions, and large-scale battles that give the film a fast pace. One of the most memorable scenes involves thousands of robots attacking Spooner and his allies. The sequence demonstrates how frightening the robots can become when their strength and numbers are combined. The special effects have generally aged well, and the film's futuristic city is convincing enough to make its vision of 2035 feel possible.
However, the film is not perfect. One of its main weaknesses is that the philosophical ideas introduced by the story are sometimes overshadowed by the action. The concept of artificial intelligence developing beyond its original programming could have been explored in greater depth. Instead, the film occasionally chooses explosions and chase sequences over more thoughtful discussions about technology and morality.
I would disagree here. Spooner's whole campaign is about the morality of robotics.
Another interesting aspect of the film is its depiction of humanity's dependence on technology. The people of 2035 have allowed robots to become deeply integrated into their daily lives. They trust machines to perform tasks that humans once did themselves, apparently without considering what might happen if that technology malfunctioned or changed its behaviour. This is perhaps the most relevant idea in the film, especially from a modern perspective. As artificial intelligence and automation have become increasingly important in the real world, the questions raised by I, Robot about convenience, control, and responsibility have become even more significant.
Despite its flaws, I, Robot succeeds because it balances its serious themes with entertainment. It is not a slow or overly complicated science-fiction film; instead, it delivers its ideas through an accessible action-mystery story. Will Smith's charisma makes the film enjoyable even when the plot becomes familiar, while Sonny provides an emotional and philosophical dimension that prevents the robots from being nothing more than machines to fight. While it does not explore its philosophical themes as deeply as it could, the film still raises important questions about whether technology can be trusted and what separates humans from machines.
Of course, this A.I. has analysed the internet for what has been said about the film. I have, but I have kept the majority of what it has said as it makes the point. I don't fully agree with all of this, but it works. So does I, Robot, for the most part.
Directed by: Alexander Proyas
Based on: I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Starring: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk
Release date: 07 July 2004
Rating: 7/10
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