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I, Robot -- Did the Movie work for you?
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Kristjan
(last edited Apr 06, 2009 05:03PM)
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Apr 03, 2009 05:58PM
I am not really a big fan of short stories, so I was thrilled that they turned this into a movie with one of my favorite actors. So ... book or movie ... which one did you like better and why?
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The movie was enjoyable, however, it was so far from the actual robot stories that it was realy a completely new robot story that just used an unusual permutation of the effects of the laws.I much prefered bicentenial man.
Ditto Kevin. Bicentennial Man was much better than the I, Robot movie. And the I, Robot movie confused me the first time I saw it as it wasn't any of the short stories at all - just it's own permutation on the Three Laws.
I never read "I, Robot". (Still haven't.) However, I just have to pipe in and say that I loved the movie of that name. According to everything I've heard, it had nothing to do with Asimov's stories. If I had read them, I may have been disappointed. As it was, I thought the movie was visually spectacular and quite exciting.I did read The Caves of Steel last year and thought it bore a great deal of similarity to the movie "I, Robot".
The movie was OK, but I wish they'd named it something else. The novelization shares the same name with the original book of short stories & that's just wrong.
The movie takes the principles of Asimov's robot world and makes a new story with them (i.e. the three Laws). They also use a few of Asimov's characters, such as Alfred Lanning and Susan Calvin. James Cromwell as Lanning worked for me, but Bridget Monahan as Calvin? Well....she was fine for the movie plot, but they should have given her a new name. Asimov repeatedly stressed in the stories how plain and unattractive Susan Calvin was. The movie made her hot, which fits Hollywood's expectations, but alters the spirit of the original character. These details were essential to how the Susan Calvin of the stories became who she was.....Sandi - The Caves of Steel was similar, but actually occurs some 1400 years after I, Robot....The Three Laws are still in effect by then....
Sandi wrote: "I never read "I, Robot". (Still haven't.) However, I just have to pipe in and say that I loved the movie of that name. According to everything I've heard, it had nothing to do with Asimov's stor..."i also thought the movie was more caves of steel than I, robot
but i thought the movie was absolutely horrible and probably kind of missed the point of asimov
The movie was a great Will Smith action movie.As an adaptation of "I, Robot," it was a complete failure.
But that was because the studio bought the novel rights for the name only. They then paid lip service to the book by putting in the laws of robotics and jettisoning the rest of the book.
Huge shame, really.
Michael wrote: "The movie was a great Will Smith action movie.As an adaptation of "I, Robot," it was a complete failure.
But that was because the studio bought the novel rights for the name only. They then..."
i think that was the biggest problem, i usually don't mind too much when movies really only have very little in common with the books in terms of plot etc
but will smith is just too "cool" to be an asimov protagonist
I wasn't expecting something that was word for word faithful to the book. But I wish it had been more faithful to the spirit of the book.I think the whole mystery aspect fit better with the Lije Bailey novels, myself.
It was an ok film. It was clearly Asimov-based, but definitely a mix and match job. Would have been more fun if there was more suspense or humor.
I think the movie would have been 'OK' had it not been associated with Asimov in any way. I feel bad for Asimov, as he clearly wouldn't have liked the take on his Robot series.
I have this funny pet peeve....that if you are going to take the title of a book or story.....the movie should actually be BASED on that book or story!!! But that's just me, I guess.
Kathy wrote: "I have this funny pet peeve....that if you are going to take the title of a book or story.....the movie should actually be BASED on that book or story!!! But that's just me, I guess. "It's not just you :)
I feel better now, Brent. Thanks. Too many times my friends would roll their eyes at me when I would complain. They'd say "It's just a title". No its not!!!!!
Kathy wrote: "I feel better now, Brent. Thanks. Too many times my friends would roll their eyes at me when I would complain. They'd say "It's just a title". No its not!!!!!"No, especially when you try to buy a copy of the book "I, Robot". Which do you get - 8 wonderful short stories or a novelization of an action film? You have to go by published date or cover. Dumb. They are so NOT the same thing.
Jim wrote: "Kathy wrote: "I feel better now, Brent. Thanks. Too many times my friends would roll their eyes at me when I would complain. They'd say "It's just a title". No its not!!!!!"No, especially whe..."
Is that true? Do they really have a novelization of the film? I have even less respect for the movie than I did before.
Oh yes, there is a novelization. Go to Amazon & search books for 'I, Robot'. You'll find one by Asimov & one by Howard S. Smith and Kathy Harestad. I think the cover art will show you quicker, though.
Jim wrote: "Oh yes, there is a novelization. Go to Amazon & search books for 'I, Robot'. You'll find one by Asimov & one by Howard S. Smith and Kathy Harestad. I think the cover art will show you quicker, t..."I had to look this up to believe it! How horrible! I love that Hollywood is happy to capitalize on the fame of a title but then completely mutilate it. The sad part is that I'm sure there are people who saw the movie and now think they've "read" Asimov's I, Robot. I'm so tired of movie makers ruining great books - with a few notable exceptions, of course, thank you Peter Jackson for bringing LOTR to life.
I finally (embarrassingly) just read the original I, Robot stories and really enjoyed them. They held up for me, despite the 60 years that have passed. I'd seen the movie when it came out and did like it (not just because I'm a big fan of Will Smith's). It was a good action movie with a few interesting concepts to ponder, not terribly deep but enjoyable. Looking back now, I can see where the basic ideas of the movie do come from the arc of the stories. The book opens with the three laws and ends with the result of those laws: robots decide they have to control us to protect us. But tremendous liberties are taken with every element in between, as well as whether this outcome is good or bad. In retrospect I would have preferred the movie to have a different title. Something like "I, Robot: Rise of the Blue-Faced Lady Bot" (I've forgotten her name, sorry) would have preserved the link to the original and the market they were trying to tap into, but differentiated sufficiently from the original.
I agree: I enjoyed the movie as an action film, though I would have simply removed "I, Robot" from the title and gone with something like "Sonny's Law" or "Robotic." Will's character did remind me more of the Bailey character, and Calvin should have been played by someone like Janeane Garofalo.
