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The star system in Hollywood dictates that the bigger star you are, the more power you have. Some stars use that power to move into directing, others to finance smaller pictures, and still others to be choosier about their own projects. But when the star realizes he needs to make some money or burnish his image, then he uses his power for less admirable reasons. He brings in a script doctor just so he can get the best lines, he browbeats the producer so that he can have the coolest clothes, and he makes sure that he rides through the movie like a prince being carried by his servants.

I was talking with my friend Garth today, and he made the point that Blade Runner could never be made today. A star wouldn't allow (like Harrison Ford did at the time) another actor to upstage him (as Rutger Hauer does) or for whole sections of the movie to pass without mentioning his character at all. And I got to thinking, I, Robot is a lot like Blade Runner. They both look ahead to a time when the line between humanity and machinery has blurred and when our sense of identity has fragmented. They both imagine a world dominated by a huge, amoral corporation that's creating human-like androids. And they both feature a detective story where our hero tries to track down a murderous robot. The primary difference between the two films is how they utilize their star power. In many ways, I, Robot is Blade Runner for our era--the era of the star.

I need to point out that I like Will Smith, who stars in and dominates I, Robot. He's a fine actor, and he has charisma to spare. But the charisma isn't designed to further a story; it's designed to further his own career. In the first scene of the film, we watch him get out of bed wearing only his dark briefs (oohing and ahhing from the ladies in the audience), then lift weights (more oohing), and finally take a shower (literal squeals burst out around me). Then, while he's dressing, he points out the 2004 Converse shoes he bought, though the movie takes place in 2035. Smith literally states they're from 2004. And director Alex Proyas shoots a close up of the shoes, brilliantly lit from the top and side. A commercial for Will Smith has turned into a commercial for Converse. Follow that with a Fed Ex robot delivering a package.

Fortunately, the rest of the film isn't as dominated by product placement, though Audi won't mind the numerous close-ups of their cars' logo. Rather, it's a fairly standard action-detective story with plenty of futuristic effects and some thoughts on what really makes us human. Unlike my friend Garth, who thought the story was dumb, I found it provocative and entertaining. An early appearance by James Cromwell as a scientist who's apparently committed suicide sets the right mood of dread and mystery. And there's a constant question of whether the robots have gone bad or are being controlled by the corporation's founder. It's not clear which would be worse. Will Smith's paranoia fits nicely into the storyline. Of course, I mean the character played by Will Smith, but the distinction seems somewhat redundant.

The special effects, especially in the robots themselves, are fantastic. An early scene with 1000 robots is beautifully done, and the primary robot (named Sonny and voiced by Alan Tudyk) has a genuine emotional presence. Furthermore, Proyas, who made his name with the film Dark City, and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos have done a wonderful job with the buildings' interiors. The script, very loosely based on a series of Isaac Asimov stories, is actually thoughtful. An interrogation scene between Will Smith and Sonny is better than any dialogue in Spiderman 2. My friend Garth complained that all of the secondary characters were either flat (Bridget Moynahan as the female sidekick) or stereotypes (Chi McBride as Will's boss). But I think the problem is that the movie is so focused on Will Smith that there isn't room for any other character. He's in every scene, and some scenes are there only for the purpose of making him look good. A nighttime ride through the streets on a motorcycle is superfluous, but it's not as bad as a bullet-time shot when the motorcycle flies through the air as Smith shoots with both hands.

Having said all that, I still had a good time at I, Robot, and I suspect audiences will agree. It's a popcorn movie, for sure, but one that has enough interesting things going on. If only it wasn't a commercial for Will Smith at the same time.  

J. Robert Parks  7/17/2004