Plot: What’s it about?
The year is 2035 and mankind has advanced technology to far reaches, in ways that have impact everyone on the planet. The use of robots has been commonplace, even in normal homes, as assistants, workers, and basic companions. These robots are quite advanced and are driven by a code of ethics, which all robots must follow. The code states that a robot must never harm a human or by inaction, allow a human to be harmed. A robot must also obey orders given by a human, unless the order requires the first rule to be broken. A robot must also protect its own existence, unless that requires one of the first two rules to be broken. The code holds up well too, as robots function as safe and productive members of mankind’s world. In fact, it is thought to be impossible for a robot to break the code, at least until now. Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), a high end scientist at US Robotics, has been murdered in brutal fashion. Detective John Spooner (Will Smith) is sent in to solve the case, but he finds unexpected evidence. He mistrusts robots, so when evidence points to a robot being involved in the murder, he isn’t shocked. But his known dislike for robots forces him to dig deeper and find more evidence. If a robot did in fact break the code, then nothing stands in the way of a total robot rebellion against mankind. Has a robot broken the code and if so, can Spooner make sure that justice is served?
As a fan of Isaac Asimov’s incredible sci/fi works, I was worried when I saw Hollywood had an adaptation in the works. Those fears were compounded when Will Smith (Men in Black, Bad Boys) was signed for the lead role. After all, Smith has minimal talent outside of popcorn action films and even then, he isn’t an ace in the hole. The project started off as a premise that included elements of Asimov’s work, but soon became an official adaptation of I, Robot, though some elements of the original project were preserved. So could I, Robot, a story that relies on logic, be given justice by this movie, which seemed to promise the opposite? As expected, this movie tosses Asimov’s material in the trash and settles on being a cookie cutter action flick with sci/fi touches. The plot is simplified and rendered useless, but I suppose director Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow) didn’t want logic in the way of his loud, unrealistic action sequences. This is a surprise, as Proyas is a gifted filmmaker, but this is a serious blemish on his resume. I knew Smith would be bad, but I held out hope for Proyas, only to be disappointed. I, Robot should have been a brilliant, eerie look into the world of robots, but instead we have an ineffective action picture. Fans will want to upgrade for the incredible video & audio elements, but the extras have been truncated, so this isn’t a definitive release.
Video: How does it look?
I, Robot is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Now this what high definition should look like. An instant reference disc, I, Robot provides one of the best visual transfers I’ve seen to date. The image is pristine, provides incredible detail, and has a constant three dimensional presence. The visuals start off razor sharp and eye popping and never slow down, I couldn’t find a single scene to complain about here. The detail is rich and even the most subtle touches stand out, while colors and contrast perform at a flawless level. I’m often impressed by these high definition transfers, but few have stunned me like this one, so prepare to show off your systems with this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
As impressive as the visuals are, the lossless DTS HD 5.1 soundtrack manages to keep pace. As with the video, the audio starts off strong and never relents. The surrounds are active throughout almost the entire movie, but the lower impact elements never sound crushed or buried. So yes, this is a loud and powerful soundtrack, but the sound design is so masterful, even low key scenes sound excellent and have impressive depth. The music sounds great and dialogue is perfect, not much else I can report. This is just a fantastic soundtrack that audiophiles will drool over. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The extras here are solid, but when compared to the two disc Collector’s Edition on DVD, you’ll notice some dropped stuff and that some features have been shortened. I appreciate the need to conserve space and all, but why not include a second disc and raise the price a few bucks? In any event, here’s what we have on deck. Alex Proyas provides his audio comments and is joined by Akiva Goldsman, one of the all time hack writers. I can’t imagine anyone wants to listen to Goldsman, but Proyas supplies a nice amount of insight into the production. I wish more was made of Asimov’s original work, but instead we’re treated to general behind the scenes information. A more than solid track, although Goldsman could have been replaced with someone else, perhaps a cast member or two, anyone who could add some worthwhile remarks. That track was on the previous release, but two additional audio commentary sessions are also found here, one with members of the production crew and one with composer Marco Beltrami. I found the technical session to be a solid effort, with a lot of information from numerous sources. Day Out of Days has been trimmed by almost half an hour, though it still provides a good amount of production insight. Other featurettes are a mixture of full length and stripped, which is a let down. This disc also includes a trivia track and some deleted scenes.
