I, Robot

Michael Gartenberg over at Jupiter Research had a post today about the new movie I, Robot.

I’ve seen the trailers for this movie, and I think it may be one of the greatest abominations that Hollywood has ever created.  I don’t know WHAT was going through Janet Jeppsons (Isaac’s wife) mind when she authorized the use of Isaac’s stories…  The original I, Robot stories were thoughtful stories about robots coming to take on sentience.  It wasn’t about the evil robots taking over the world.  But darned if that isn’t what the new movie is about.

Asimov’s robots were ALWAYS constrained by the 3 laws of robotics.  It was a constant throughout the stories that the three laws were NEVER violated.  Having the three laws was a fascinating literary device, because it allowed Asimov to come up with story after story where it appeared that the three laws were being broken when in fact they weren’t.  His “Caves of Steel” and the other R. Daneel Olivaw/Elijah Baley stories are absolute classics in the S.F. Mystery novel genre.

I looked at the trailer for the new movie and cringed.  Especially at the scenes with all the robots attacking Will Smith, and Will Smith playing Arnold Schwarzenegger with his railgun.

This one’s a must-miss in my opinion.  If they had kept the original title of “Hardwired”, and avoided the tie-in with Asimov, then maybe it might be worthwhile.  But as long as they’re sullying Isaac’s works with this drivel, I’m staying home. 

 

In case you think I’m just an Asimov fan-boy, think: Millions of kids will see this movie and think that the Asimov I, Robot stories are just more summer action movie fodder.  Is that really the legacy of one of the most thoughtful of the great science fiction authors?