I, Robot

[plutherus]

Based on the previews, I didn't want to go see this movie. It seemed, in every way, a bastardization of everything Isaac Asimov wrote about his robots.

Still, I like Will Smith, and it did seem like a fun action flick, and Will Smith wrote a review in which he said that fans of Asimov would not be disappointed. And, hey, you gotta trust a completely unbiased source like Mr. Smith, right?

So I finally broke down and rented it.

Just finished watching it, and I'm happy to report that I was wrong in every way.

Well, OK, not every way. It turns out, it is a damn fine action flick. I'm just sorry I didn't see it in the theaters.

Yes, they made some changes. Robots are not feared by the general populace, and not illegal on Earth. They changed Susan Calvin's job (a bit), and introduced a tough new character for Will Smith to play, to replace Donovan and Powell. I loved those characters, and would have liked to have seen them, but this was, first and foremost an action movie. So out go the field service engineers and in comes a homicide detective.

But, unlike most fare from Hollywood these days, they didn't forget to include a story as well. It wasn't based directly on Asimov's stories, or on any one of them. It's an entirely new story put in a similar, but not quite identical, world. But a surprisingly large percentage is indeed taken directly from various short stories. Updated, and fitted into an action movie, but elements are definitely recognizable to anyone who's read the short story compilation from which the movie gets its title.

And, yes, they made Dr. Calvin a babe, but Bridget Moynahan, surprisingly, nails the character dead-on.

I think the old man would have approved.

I'm just sorry I waited this long to see it. But hey, given the quality of most of their adaptation, who would have thought Hollywood could be trusted?

Who knows, maybe Donovan and Powell will show up in the sequel. If there is one, I'll be there opening night.

Although, I still gotta wonder, did that poor cat ever get let out of the trunk?

Comments

[thevirtualjim.livejournal.com]

Yea, I was very impressed. Pretty much what I told people is that it wasn't any one specific story, but it had a very Asmov feel to it.

Another movie that suprised me in how decent it was was 'constantine' I have been a VERY big fan of the hellblzer series, and was very upset when I heard that keano was starring in this. I ended up getting it on my computer and me and my friend watched it, and it scarred us how well it worked out. It took parts from a few different stores, and it actually worked pretty well. I think constantine was not enough of an asshole in the movie, but besides that it was good.

[plutherus.livejournal.com]

Hm. Maybe I'll have to check that one out, too. That's another movie I've deliberately not seen for exactly the same reason. Perhaps it isn't as bad as the previews made it out to be...