I, Robot

In a Nutshell: Surprisingly good! After my other summer disappointments, I wasn't expecting much from it, and I came away really enjoying it. Not the greatest film ever, but really quite good. Definitely worth seeing, and definitely on the big screen!

Quick Plot: On the eve of the largest robot roll out in history, the "father of robotics" commits suicide, leaving his friend, the robot-phobic police officer, to investigate if it really was suicide, or if he was murdered by one of his own creations.

In Detail: (Note: I have never read, nor am I familiar with, the Asimov stories that "suggested" this film, and I am an admitted sci-fi junkie. Take this review with those particular grains of salt in mind.) Unlike Spider-Man 2, this film was *beautifully* paced. It flowed smoothly between story elements, and you really ride the adrenaline waves. Unlike King Arthur, the humor here was not only surprising (all the previews I had seen made it seem really serious), but it was perfectly timed and executed, bringing huge laughs. That's not to say that the movie isn't serious and/or doesn't have serious points to make. It is and it does, and it does indeed make them, but it doesn't do it in a preachy or heavy-handed manner. It just makes you go hmmm. The humor is well-placed for effect, usually tension release, which you need after some of the intense action sequences. Much of the film is CG, but I did not find it distracting. Every once in a while, the thought of "wow, that was amazing; too bad none of it was real" crossed my mind, but that's it, and I don't mean that in a bad way. It's not an overly deep movie, though it does have its moments. But I greatly enjoyed it nonetheless.

Will I Buy It? Not sure. That may seem strange after the above review, but I think I need to see it again (rented, most likely) to decide if there is enough to keep me interested on repeat viewings. Definitely worth seeing, though!

Addendum: After seeing this one a couple more times on television and finding it on sale for a great price, we did decide to buy it.