I just saw 'I, Robot'

POSTED BY: JustDavid
UPDATED: Saturday, August 7, 2004 23:19
VIEWED: 6176
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THEREALME

Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:09 AM

I think that if you are going to use an author's name and the title of one of his most famous works, then you have a obilgation to that author's basic ideas. I'll even allow that this movie could be a better tale than the original short stories. But to me it's the name thing that's important.

Sigh. I'm rarely one to comment on something I haven't seen, and I'll get myself into trouble over this, but...

I know.

Let's take the Lord of the Rings analogy a bit farther.

Let's say they dumped all the hobbits. Short "Wee Folk" people? Too silly, and who wants to see all those hairy feet? And just what kind of relationship did Frodo have with "his gardener", anyway?

And Legolas, get rid of him because he doesn't look "manly" enough. Too many characters in the book anyway.

Ditch that Gandalf and Saurman pair. The young crowd we're trying to attract won't like old people anyway. But we'll add a couple of kids on the quest to draw in the young crowd. Say, a teen girl, her 10-year old brother, and an adorable six-year-old girl with a magic teddy bear.

But we'll keep that pretty elf queen. She can do all the wizard stuff and keep that nifty crystal ball thingie, too. Maybe she and Aragorn can have a quick, passionate affair, after which she can leave her elf-husband and go on the quest with her new guy.

The One Ring? That's cool. Aragorn can find it, stride up to the Dark Tower, and use it to zap the tower to ashes in a very, very impressive explosion. After which, the young kid with the teddy bear will point out to Aragorn that they're at the wrong address! Sauron lives over THERE!

Yes, that will be a fitting conclusion for this year's best zany new comedy!

The End.

We'll call it: "The Lord of the Rings", inspired by the works of J.R.R Tolkein!

Pardon me. I have to go off to punish myself for this act of desecration.

The Real Me

SLOWSMURF

Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:22 AM

I did realize it wasn't the best analogy shortly after making the post, but didn't really care enough to fix it.

Anyway, I find it kind of hard to believe whatever it is they changed that offends you people so much is anywhere near that level. Please do explain.

I might try to read the stories at some point, but I won't get a chance for at least 2 weeks.

JESIAHBLACK

Saturday, July 17, 2004 2:51 PM

I'll make this short and sweet.

I originally had misgivings about seeing the movie for many of the same reasons a lot of people don't, or won't like it. I felt that they would do a disservice to Asimov.

That being said, i genuinely enjoyed the movie. I'd go see it again. Mainly because it wasn't the book.

If i want to enjoy the stories, i'll read them. If i want to see an awesome movie about robots, i'll go see it. I'll just pretend they don't share the same name.

ARAWAEN

Saturday, July 17, 2004 3:12 PM

Quote:
I think that if you are going to use an author's name and the title of one of his most famous works, then you have a obilgation to that author's basic ideas. I'll even allow that this movie could be a better tale than the original short stories. But to me it's the name thing that's important.

I don't think "I, Robot" is as bad as you are making it out to be, despite being a rabid purist myself.

The movie does have the three laws and the robots do follow them, absolutely (with the exception of one unique robot). The point where Aasimov would have had a problem with the movie is that he thought the laws were perfect and would have worked, whereas the movie shows the fundamental flaw behind the three laws. The robots don't run amok, so much as follow their programming to its logical conclusion.

I found most of the weaknesses with the movie to be the tendency to step back from anything intellectual in favor of action and witty Will Smith dialogue. I think it could have been a great story, but was shortchanged by the summer blockbuster mentality.

Who saw the AI (VIKI) and said SHODAN?

Select to view spoiler:

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
I think they should have developed more and or at least made it clearer that

1. That the AI was in fact being logical (and not megalomaniacal) in resolving the contradiction posed by the first law.
2. That the robots were slaves.
3. That there were negative effects of robots on the labor market, e.g. the inability of a human worker to compete with a robot worker.

It would also have been nice if they dealt with the fact that a society so dependent upon robots and technology couldn't simply shut them down overnight.

Arawaen

Um, I'm lost. Uh, I'm Angry. And I'm Armed.

THEREALME

Saturday, July 17, 2004 4:23 PM

* The Real Me waves around the fistful of apologies that he has already prepared. *

I still have these. I promise to see the movie and give it a fair chance. If I am wrong in what the movie does or doesn't do in regard to Asimov, I am prepared to use them.

I am, in short,prepared to look all manner of stupid. It's not like it'd be the first time.

As I said, the movie could be a much better tale than Asimov's... it just doesn't seem to me to take place in Asimov's universe, and should not bear the title or the author's name.

So, if I saw a LOTR trailer with the Teddy Bear Girl talking to Aragorn, I would be equally dubious about the value of LOTR, even when my friends chide me with "Oh, it's not an EXACT translation of the book."

The Real Me

ECGORDON

Saturday, July 17, 2004 5:25 PM

There's too many things to respond to on this thread so I'll probably miss one or more of them, and I'm not going to the trouble of addressing points to the individual posters.

I may be an elitist when it comes to books, but I also realize that literature and film are two entirely different media, and changes have to be made, especially to SF works written more than half a century ago. What I object to is the arrogance of FOX to think that no one would notice how little this film has to do with Asimov's original stories. I would have little or no problem if they had kept the original title of "Hardwired," or come up with some other title, such as "Robot Revolt" or somesuch, and left Asimov's name out of it. As much as I detest Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, its trashing of Heinlein's concepts pales in comparison to Proyas' I, Robot.

It may be true that the majority of filmgoers today are not familiar with Asimov, but it has been reported that sales of the book have jumped significantly in the past few months. When and if those people actually read it, then see the movie, or the other way around, they will also be puzzled by the discrepancies.

I know there's more I should say here, but I'm gonna close now with a spoiler to reply to one specific statement already made. Please do not highlight this if you don't want any knowledge of the film's plot resolution.

Select to view spoiler:

The Three Laws of Robotics are prominently displayed at the opening of the film, and for those not familiar with them, the first two are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
The murder of Dr. Alfred Lanning is committed by a robot, which clearly violates both of those laws.

Okay, so I'm not closing yet, one more point. As for going to see the film just because Alan Tudyk is in it, I suppose you will say I must see Sleepover because of Summer's appearance, or have to rent Water's Edge because of Nathan, even though it has gotten poor reviews? Most of you are probably aware that Alan (or someone claiming to be him) posted the other day, requesting we not judge the film without having seen it. I took that to heart, because I had originally not intended to see it. I was hoping from what he said that my apprehensions were wrong. Well, I've seen it, and my apprehensions were not wrong.

There's only one thing that Alan said that I agree with. Bridget Moynahan does look great in futuristic leather pants.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

CYBERSNARK

Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:09 PM

Just a datapoint that everyone will ignore as they ignore all my reasonable comments: they wouldn't have had to have the name I, Robot to invoke Asimov's laws.

Anyone seen Robin Williams' Bicentennial Man? It's a much truer adaptation of Asimov's intent, and it quoted the laws verbatim in the script (which this one didn't --it just had them written out in the opening sequence).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

HAPLO721

Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:21 PM

Bicentennial Man is also based on a book of the same name by Asimov.

Early: You ever been raped, Kaylee?
Kaylee: You know, it's funny you should mention that... ever heard of the Fox network?

PEARLAT32

Saturday, July 17, 2004 8:35 PM

Went to see a late screening last night. I'd give it 2 & half stars. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't "Great". Never read Asimov so this is coming from a movie-goer perspective. A few things I would've liked:

1. Less Will-isms, because honestly, Will Smith does not need any help in either the comedic or dramatic department (all crappy films aside). I would have liked it if his humor was drier, but I think half-naked

Select to view spoiler:

and nude

Will makes up for much.

The forced humor makes "Will" more apparent onscreen as opposed to Spooner, his character.

2. More of the creepy, like Proyas's other films.

I smiled so wide when Sonny first spoke. I can't wait to see the DVD. I saw a little footage on Mtv where Alan explained how he was in this yellow suit while Will was walking around in leather. He basically looked like Andy Serkis, except in yellow. I liked the last half of the movie better than the first. I really enjoyed the opening credits, and I stayed afterwards to see if Alan got a big name credit.

Kaching, baby!

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They were little geisha dolls with big heads that WOBBLED!

BADGERSHAT

Saturday, July 17, 2004 9:01 PM

With all due respect to you, THEREALME, I think that you have to weight a few factors.

1-it's not a single book, it's a collection of stories, leaving it wide open to all sorts of interpretations.

2-name one book-to-film that is totally loyal. LOTR took some liberties, Batman took liberties (ok, not a book, but whatever), Harry Potter took liberties, etc etc etc all the way down the list. And, perhaps biggest of all, movies like "The Ten Commandments" and its ilk have ALWAYS taken huge liberties with the book they're based on ( namely, the Bible).

So, I think liberty can and should be taken. Plus, "I, Robot" the title is taken from "I, Claudius" anyway, so it's not even a direct rip-off to begin with.

That all being said, the movie was fun, colorful, and extremely weak in plot--perfect summer blockbuster stuff.

--Jefé The Hat

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"I like smackin 'em"--Jayne

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