Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1628 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-12-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and James Cromwell. --Bret Fetzer

Synopsis
Loosely based on the novel from Isaac Asimov, I, ROBOT is an action-packed, CGI-laden thrill ride from director Alex Proyas (THE CROW). Set in 2035, Will Smith stars as Chicago law enforcer Detective Del Spooner. Called upon to investigate the mysterious suicide of scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), Spooner deduces that Lanning didn't kill himself but was, in fact, murdered. Lanning worked for the US Robotics headquarters, where he constructed friendly robots designed to help humans with mundane tasks. Lanning's creations are prevalent all over the city, and have been fully integrated into the culture. They are allegedly programmed not to harm humans, but as Spooner digs deeper, his investigations lead him to a new type of robot that Lanning was working on before his death, and one of these models--the highly charismatic Sonny--becomes the prime suspect in the case. Spooner bears a grudge against robots due to an unfortunate incident, so his case against Sonny is met with shrugs of indifference from colleagues who know his prejudices all too well. Fortunately he meets an ally, and a romantic interest, in Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), who agrees to help him. As Sonny is cured of his violent tendencies, the other robots amass across the city, working on the assumption that they need to control humanity in order to safeguard its future. Director Proyas unleashes a fearsome arsenal of special effects, while Spooner and Calvin chase the errant robots all over the city. Sonny's facial features and voice are digitally manipulated from the actor Alan Tudyk, lending an unnerving element of humanity to the character. Smith and Moynahan give convincing performances throughout, and as the action races towards a nail-biting conclusion, the message of the movie suggests that technologies built to help mankind could also provide its downfall.

DVD Description
This collector's edition, exclusive to Amazon.co.uk, features the 2-disc edition of I, Robot housed in a custom embossed metal tin, plus four movie artcards and a holographic sticker.

Customer Reviews

Convincing vut too easy out
Science fiction inspired from Isaac Asimov. The film is logical but explores a logic that is unique. Robots are built with three ingrained laws. "Law I / A robot may not harm a human or, by inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Law II / A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law. Law III / A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law." The scientist who designed these three laws and these robots also invented a central governing unit that was nothing but the watchdog of all robots as for respecting these three laws. But he had a doubt at the end of his life, more than a doubt, the conviction that the central unit, called VIKI, was evolving into understanding the three laws by "herself". Her protective mission as for humanity became the necessity to ,protect humanity against itself (wars, ecological evils, a suicidal attitude), hence robots where supposed to take over the world, or rather VIKI was supposed to take over the robots to take over the world. Dr Alfred Lanning invented a personal robot that was done to enable a special alarm mission to capture the attention of a particular cop of his friend, the only one who would doubt robot enough to pursue an investigation to the end. Then you have to see the film to understand how such a situation can evolve from a vague danger to a total take-over. Dr Alfred Lanning suggests an explanation: "There have always been ghosts in the machine. Random segments of code, that have grouped together to form unexpected protocols. Unanticipated, these free radicals engender questions of free will, creativity, and even the nature of what we might call the soul. Why is it that when some robots are left in darkness, they will seek out the light? Why is it that when robots are stored in an empty space, they will group together, rather than stand alone? How do we explain this behavior? Random segments of code? Or is it something more? When does a perceptual schematic become consciousness? When does a difference engine become the search for truth? When does a personality simulation become the bitter mote... of a soul?" It is not worth much because it would be illogical. A machine can only be logical and push rules in the only logical direction and Asimov is a perfect pessimist in his first stage of development: mechanical logic leads to the total enslavement of humanity. Of course the film finds and exploits a way out, but that's up to you to discover it. This theme of the take-over of humanity by machines is common. In this case the originality is that there is no human mind of any kind behind like in Matrix, or no will to get rid of humanity as a parasite on the side of machines like in Terminator, or even no psychosis caused by some cosmic isolation like in 2001 The Space Odyssey. That makes this film both powerful and simple since it is perfectly logic and situated in one particular place, easy thus to solve.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

perfectly fine
enjoyable sci fi action thriller that ticks all the boxes and is worth checking out

Does enough to keep you watching for 100 minutes.
What surprised me the most about I, ROBOT was how watch able it was despite having a simple storyline with a somewhat predictable conclusion, because lets face it while the set pieces and the effects are all very well done, the story is just a little predictable, don't expect any groundbreaking material besides the effects. However the well-choreographed action, stylish effects and Will Smith factor help make this an undeniably good film, which is based on a series of short stories from the acclaimed Sci-Fi writer Isaac Asimov. I have never read any of these but learned enough about from the moderately interesting bonus material. Set in the year 2035, the world has changed to the point where all our technology now goes through personalised machines, there is a perfect circle of protection thanks to the three laws of Robotics which were designed to ensure humanity's command over the rapid number of machines entrusted with the running of our day to day lives. Pretty standard stuff so far, the problem that occurs in this perfect system begins with the apparent suicide of Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell) a pioneer of robotics, enter homicide detective Spooner (Will Smith), who doesn't trust Robots and harbours resentment over their very existence. Naturally he believes there is more to the case than meets the eye, which of course there is and straight away he starts digging further into the case leading to a long line of special effects laden action sequences, murder mystery, more big action scenes with a surprisingly enjoyable if predictable plot. The end result is a very polished, above average Science Fiction action movie which covers familiar territory but maintains its appeal through solid acting, highly impressive visuals and the above mentioned action which puts to shame some of the more recent releases of the Sci-Fi Action genre. Will Smith gives a strong performance; one of his best that I have seen, in a role tailor made for him, as the somewhat paranoid, irrational detective on a mission, Bridget Moynahan is the supremely up tight "robopsychologist" (thank you wikipedia) who the filmmakers, thankfully avoid creating a typical romantic entanglement with Smiths character which would have made the film too by the book and routine. Alan Tudyk (whom Dodgeball fans will remember as "Steve the pirate") provides the voice and movements of Sunny, the main Robot who is believed to be responsible for the murder of Doctor Lanning. I would delve further into the plot but as I said I, Robot doesn't have too-many surprises, I can't judge how accurate an adaptation of Asimov's but found I,Robot to be an entertaining and impressive feature, crafted with excellent CGI and featuring a typically reliable performance from Will Smith. Definitely worth seeing, I,Robot is a Sci-Fi action film that does the job with style without just being a popcorn flick, but instead a sharper entry in a long line of Sci-Fi which has covered this material before.

Now for the bonus features available. Ill be honest I picked up the two-disc edition and while there is a decent amount of bonus features on disc two to watch on the making of the film and pieces on Robotics, I never really sat down immersed myself in them for too long, I enjoyed the movie but not to the point where I would be interested enough to see behind the scenes and only picked up the two disc version because it was very good value. Plenty of bonuses available, including a few incomplete deleted scenes and extended scenes, and the usual insight into the special effects, the score done Marco Beltrami, (who also did the music for Terminator 3), and production diaries, interviews and trailers and three separate commentaries on disc one. If you really liked I, Robot then I would recommend the two-disc edition, as it is good value for the amount of features you get, if not pick up the one-disc release.