I, Robot (All-Access Collector's Edition)
Starring:Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Tudyk, James Cromwell, Bruce Greenwood, Adrian Ricard, Chi McBride, Jerry Wasserman, Fiona Hogan, Peter Shinkoda, Terry Chen, David Haysom, Scott Heindl, Sharon Wilkins, Craig March, Kyanna Cox, Darren Moore, Aaron Douglas, Shayla Dyson, Bobby L. Stewart
Director: Alex Proyas
Studio: Fox Home Entertainment
Product Type: DVD
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation.
Average customer rating:
- The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.)
- Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot
- Daring Racial Theme
- More than meets the eye...
- A good Will Smith movie
|
I, Robot (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Alan Tudyk , James Cromwell , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Alex Proyas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
 Crime
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Will Smith
| Action Stars
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Thrillers
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Mystery & Suspense
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| DVD
| Video
General
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Robots & Androids
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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| Video
Cromwell, James
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Greenwood, Bruce
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
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McBride, Chi
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Smith, Will
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Wasserman, Jerry
| ( W )
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| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Proyas, Alex
| ( P )
| Directors
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All Fox Titles
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| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
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| Fox DVD Budget Store
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( I )
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Similar Items:
- The Day After Tomorrow (Widescreen Edition)
- Independence Day (Limited Edition)
- The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
- Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
- Spider-Man 2.1
ASIN: B00005JN0T
Release Date: 2004-12-14 |
Amazon.com
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation.
Customer Reviews:
The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.).......2007-06-17
I recently had the opportunity to view the film I, Robot, or Short Circuit 3 as it has come to be known by the Ft. Collins cultural elite. Although this movie is set 30 years in the future, Detective Del Spooner's (Will Smith) jokes and witty antics keep with the times and never fail to elicit uproarious laughter. I guess phrases like "Oh, hell no" and "Now that's what I'm talkin' bout" are timeless comic masterpieces. Don't let the Fresh Prince's diction fool you, this movie pushes as many P.C. hot buttons as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's recent emotional masterpiece Lethal Weapon 4. I, Robot exemplifies a tried and true statement: when there are a lot of fancy robots in the future, all types of ill stuff will happen. Sure it's the same lesson we learned in The Terminator trilogy but let's face it, jokes and robots never really get old. The producers certainly did their homework in taking some ingredients from other popular sci-fi movies to complete their futuristic recipe for 100% action. A certain scene comes to mind when Will Smith must traverse a giant staircase, pure Ghostbusters. They might as well have suited him with a proton pack and warned him of the dire consequences that may arise by crossing the streams. I guess I can't argue with success. Does the film do its job? While I wasn't impressed very much -- and I am an avid fan of the Bad Boys films -- I have a good feeling that the younger crowd got the message loud and clear. As I was leaving the theater with a few friends, some teenagers in a futuristic looking Subaru yelled swear words at us and drove somewhat recklessly thereafter. (It should be noted that one of us looks strikingly similar to a robot.) They were obviously fired up by what they had just seen and had taken notes from a few of the car chase segments in the film. My fellow theater goers and I shook our heads and laughed: These kids today have no idea, one little fight and your mom may get scared, then you're moving with your auntsie and uncle to Bel-Air.
Grade C-, spend 7 dollars on one of those hats that make it look like there is an arrow through your head instead.
Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot.......2007-06-17
I was inherently suspicious of this film, having heard that only about five percent of it had anything whatever to do with Asimov's novel. Taking it on its own terms, though, it's really not a bad hour and fifty minutes of escapism. Will Smith plays Detective Spooner, a man with a bias against robots generally, even though he turns out to be partly bionic himself. The principal architect of the positronic robot revolution -- there's one for every five humans, now -- has apparently committed suicide but Spooner becomes convinced he was killed by one of the new generation of robots U.S.R. is about to release on the market. Asimov's Three Laws don't allow that, but (of course), a way has been found around that little problem. Aside from the fact that the laws even of Newtonian physics are ignored, and that Spooner's weapons seem to hold many thousands of bullets, the gymnastics of the big climatic scene are no more implausible than those in Star Wars. Nice CGI, too.
Daring Racial Theme.......2007-05-01
I am not quite sure if everyone picked up the daring racial theme in this movie. The robots operate as a type of slave society on which humans rely, much like ancient Rome or America as a developing nation. Keep in mind that not only did the economy of the Old South depend on black slavery but Yankee trading firms greatly strengthened their capital base through the well-known "triangular trade", in which captured Africans would be transported across the Atlantic and sold at great profit.
So, here we are in the future with robots now the subject class. Will Smith plays the standard Black American action hero. However, instead of sympathizing with the robots, his character appears to be working out some sort of vendetta toward them -- and prejudice. Detective Spooner is right to suspect a robot uprising but his motives hardly seem pure.
At the end of the movie, we see that Detective Spooner's hostility toward the robots is not because they are different from him but because they are too similar. "I, Robot" rejects the standard movie sentimentality toward Black American males and holds its protagonist up to an unsparing moral judgment.
More than meets the eye..........2007-04-29
I'm not a devotee of Will Smith/Asimov/Sci-fi nor a film buff, so there's no reason for me to prefer this kind of film, or bring any bias or preconceived baggage to watching it, and I rented it originally. However, I have to say this is a thoroughly absorbing, thought provoking and intelligent film which, for these reasons, kept me entertained right from the start - and isn't that the whole point? The film works on many levels, from an appreciation of the superb set design, CGI design and special effects (so good that they sometimes detract from the storyline as your chin hits the floor in amazement!), good dialogue, great action sequences, an excellent performance from Will Smith, and a central character that can draw out your sympathy and even steps it up as the film progresses, and is the real star of the whole show, having to face the ultimate choice each of us must make - choosing one's own destiny.
If you haven't seen it, I envy you. And yes, I have bought a copy. If you only watch it once, you'll miss so much.
A good Will Smith movie.......2007-03-29
Will Smith shows a little more maturity in this one and is good as a robot-hating detective on a case that implicates a robot in a murder, something robots are not supposed to be able to do. Alan Tudyk's portrayal as Sonny, the robot with its own personality that can choose not to obey the three laws was really good. He really is the soul of the film.
I admire the fact that director Alex Proyas tried to blend a good science fiction story with a popcorn movie mentality, although it falls well short of being a classic because of that. Even the special effects, the fights, and the bots were all good. This is one of Smith's better movies (up there with Independence Day). The film works, but one wonders what could have been if Smith didn't always try for a laugh, or if they went for a darker feel. However, despite those problems, it was a fun film.
Average customer rating:
- The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.)
- Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot
- Daring Racial Theme
- More than meets the eye...
- A good Will Smith movie
|
I, Robot (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Alan Tudyk , James Cromwell , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Alex Proyas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
Crime
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Will Smith
| Action Stars
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Thrillers
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Robots & Androids
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Cromwell, James
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Greenwood, Bruce
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
McBride, Chi
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Smith, Will
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Wasserman, Jerry
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Proyas, Alex
| ( P )
| Directors
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
All Fox Titles
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
General
| Action
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
General
| Science Fiction
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Family Features
| Kids & Family
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $15
| Fox DVD Budget Store
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $7.49
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( I )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- The Day After Tomorrow (Widescreen Edition)
- Independence Day (Limited Edition)
- The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
- Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
- Spider-Man 2.1
ASIN: B0006419J6
Release Date: 2004-12-14 |
Amazon.com
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action
Customer Reviews:
The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.).......2007-06-17
I recently had the opportunity to view the film I, Robot, or Short Circuit 3 as it has come to be known by the Ft. Collins cultural elite. Although this movie is set 30 years in the future, Detective Del Spooner's (Will Smith) jokes and witty antics keep with the times and never fail to elicit uproarious laughter. I guess phrases like "Oh, hell no" and "Now that's what I'm talkin' bout" are timeless comic masterpieces. Don't let the Fresh Prince's diction fool you, this movie pushes as many P.C. hot buttons as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's recent emotional masterpiece Lethal Weapon 4. I, Robot exemplifies a tried and true statement: when there are a lot of fancy robots in the future, all types of ill stuff will happen. Sure it's the same lesson we learned in The Terminator trilogy but let's face it, jokes and robots never really get old. The producers certainly did their homework in taking some ingredients from other popular sci-fi movies to complete their futuristic recipe for 100% action. A certain scene comes to mind when Will Smith must traverse a giant staircase, pure Ghostbusters. They might as well have suited him with a proton pack and warned him of the dire consequences that may arise by crossing the streams. I guess I can't argue with success. Does the film do its job? While I wasn't impressed very much -- and I am an avid fan of the Bad Boys films -- I have a good feeling that the younger crowd got the message loud and clear. As I was leaving the theater with a few friends, some teenagers in a futuristic looking Subaru yelled swear words at us and drove somewhat recklessly thereafter. (It should be noted that one of us looks strikingly similar to a robot.) They were obviously fired up by what they had just seen and had taken notes from a few of the car chase segments in the film. My fellow theater goers and I shook our heads and laughed: These kids today have no idea, one little fight and your mom may get scared, then you're moving with your auntsie and uncle to Bel-Air.
Grade C-, spend 7 dollars on one of those hats that make it look like there is an arrow through your head instead.
Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot.......2007-06-17
I was inherently suspicious of this film, having heard that only about five percent of it had anything whatever to do with Asimov's novel. Taking it on its own terms, though, it's really not a bad hour and fifty minutes of escapism. Will Smith plays Detective Spooner, a man with a bias against robots generally, even though he turns out to be partly bionic himself. The principal architect of the positronic robot revolution -- there's one for every five humans, now -- has apparently committed suicide but Spooner becomes convinced he was killed by one of the new generation of robots U.S.R. is about to release on the market. Asimov's Three Laws don't allow that, but (of course), a way has been found around that little problem. Aside from the fact that the laws even of Newtonian physics are ignored, and that Spooner's weapons seem to hold many thousands of bullets, the gymnastics of the big climatic scene are no more implausible than those in Star Wars. Nice CGI, too.
Daring Racial Theme.......2007-05-01
I am not quite sure if everyone picked up the daring racial theme in this movie. The robots operate as a type of slave society on which humans rely, much like ancient Rome or America as a developing nation. Keep in mind that not only did the economy of the Old South depend on black slavery but Yankee trading firms greatly strengthened their capital base through the well-known "triangular trade", in which captured Africans would be transported across the Atlantic and sold at great profit.
So, here we are in the future with robots now the subject class. Will Smith plays the standard Black American action hero. However, instead of sympathizing with the robots, his character appears to be working out some sort of vendetta toward them -- and prejudice. Detective Spooner is right to suspect a robot uprising but his motives hardly seem pure.
At the end of the movie, we see that Detective Spooner's hostility toward the robots is not because they are different from him but because they are too similar. "I, Robot" rejects the standard movie sentimentality toward Black American males and holds its protagonist up to an unsparing moral judgment.
More than meets the eye..........2007-04-29
I'm not a devotee of Will Smith/Asimov/Sci-fi nor a film buff, so there's no reason for me to prefer this kind of film, or bring any bias or preconceived baggage to watching it, and I rented it originally. However, I have to say this is a thoroughly absorbing, thought provoking and intelligent film which, for these reasons, kept me entertained right from the start - and isn't that the whole point? The film works on many levels, from an appreciation of the superb set design, CGI design and special effects (so good that they sometimes detract from the storyline as your chin hits the floor in amazement!), good dialogue, great action sequences, an excellent performance from Will Smith, and a central character that can draw out your sympathy and even steps it up as the film progresses, and is the real star of the whole show, having to face the ultimate choice each of us must make - choosing one's own destiny.
If you haven't seen it, I envy you. And yes, I have bought a copy. If you only watch it once, you'll miss so much.
A good Will Smith movie.......2007-03-29
Will Smith shows a little more maturity in this one and is good as a robot-hating detective on a case that implicates a robot in a murder, something robots are not supposed to be able to do. Alan Tudyk's portrayal as Sonny, the robot with its own personality that can choose not to obey the three laws was really good. He really is the soul of the film.
I admire the fact that director Alex Proyas tried to blend a good science fiction story with a popcorn movie mentality, although it falls well short of being a classic because of that. Even the special effects, the fights, and the bots were all good. This is one of Smith's better movies (up there with Independence Day). The film works, but one wonders what could have been if Smith didn't always try for a laugh, or if they went for a darker feel. However, despite those problems, it was a fun film.
Average customer rating:
- The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.)
- Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot
- Daring Racial Theme
- More than meets the eye...
- A good Will Smith movie
|
I, Robot (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Alan Tudyk , James Cromwell , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Alex Proyas
Manufacturer: Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
Crime
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Will Smith
| Action Stars
| Action & Adventure
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Thrillers
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Robots & Androids
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Cromwell, James
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Greenwood, Bruce
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
McBride, Chi
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Smith, Will
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Wasserman, Jerry
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Proyas, Alex
| ( P )
| Directors
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
All Fox Titles
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
General
| Action
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
General
| Science Fiction
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Family Features
| Kids & Family
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $15
| Fox DVD Budget Store
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
20th Century Fox Collector's Editions
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $9.99
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( I )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
- The Day After Tomorrow (Widescreen Edition)
- Independence Day (Limited Edition)
- The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
- Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
- Spider-Man 2.1
ASIN: B0007PALSE
Release Date: 2005-05-24 |
Amazon.com
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation.
Customer Reviews:
The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.).......2007-06-17
I recently had the opportunity to view the film I, Robot, or Short Circuit 3 as it has come to be known by the Ft. Collins cultural elite. Although this movie is set 30 years in the future, Detective Del Spooner's (Will Smith) jokes and witty antics keep with the times and never fail to elicit uproarious laughter. I guess phrases like "Oh, hell no" and "Now that's what I'm talkin' bout" are timeless comic masterpieces. Don't let the Fresh Prince's diction fool you, this movie pushes as many P.C. hot buttons as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's recent emotional masterpiece Lethal Weapon 4. I, Robot exemplifies a tried and true statement: when there are a lot of fancy robots in the future, all types of ill stuff will happen. Sure it's the same lesson we learned in The Terminator trilogy but let's face it, jokes and robots never really get old. The producers certainly did their homework in taking some ingredients from other popular sci-fi movies to complete their futuristic recipe for 100% action. A certain scene comes to mind when Will Smith must traverse a giant staircase, pure Ghostbusters. They might as well have suited him with a proton pack and warned him of the dire consequences that may arise by crossing the streams. I guess I can't argue with success. Does the film do its job? While I wasn't impressed very much -- and I am an avid fan of the Bad Boys films -- I have a good feeling that the younger crowd got the message loud and clear. As I was leaving the theater with a few friends, some teenagers in a futuristic looking Subaru yelled swear words at us and drove somewhat recklessly thereafter. (It should be noted that one of us looks strikingly similar to a robot.) They were obviously fired up by what they had just seen and had taken notes from a few of the car chase segments in the film. My fellow theater goers and I shook our heads and laughed: These kids today have no idea, one little fight and your mom may get scared, then you're moving with your auntsie and uncle to Bel-Air.
Grade C-, spend 7 dollars on one of those hats that make it look like there is an arrow through your head instead.
Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot.......2007-06-17
I was inherently suspicious of this film, having heard that only about five percent of it had anything whatever to do with Asimov's novel. Taking it on its own terms, though, it's really not a bad hour and fifty minutes of escapism. Will Smith plays Detective Spooner, a man with a bias against robots generally, even though he turns out to be partly bionic himself. The principal architect of the positronic robot revolution -- there's one for every five humans, now -- has apparently committed suicide but Spooner becomes convinced he was killed by one of the new generation of robots U.S.R. is about to release on the market. Asimov's Three Laws don't allow that, but (of course), a way has been found around that little problem. Aside from the fact that the laws even of Newtonian physics are ignored, and that Spooner's weapons seem to hold many thousands of bullets, the gymnastics of the big climatic scene are no more implausible than those in Star Wars. Nice CGI, too.
Daring Racial Theme.......2007-05-01
I am not quite sure if everyone picked up the daring racial theme in this movie. The robots operate as a type of slave society on which humans rely, much like ancient Rome or America as a developing nation. Keep in mind that not only did the economy of the Old South depend on black slavery but Yankee trading firms greatly strengthened their capital base through the well-known "triangular trade", in which captured Africans would be transported across the Atlantic and sold at great profit.
So, here we are in the future with robots now the subject class. Will Smith plays the standard Black American action hero. However, instead of sympathizing with the robots, his character appears to be working out some sort of vendetta toward them -- and prejudice. Detective Spooner is right to suspect a robot uprising but his motives hardly seem pure.
At the end of the movie, we see that Detective Spooner's hostility toward the robots is not because they are different from him but because they are too similar. "I, Robot" rejects the standard movie sentimentality toward Black American males and holds its protagonist up to an unsparing moral judgment.
More than meets the eye..........2007-04-29
I'm not a devotee of Will Smith/Asimov/Sci-fi nor a film buff, so there's no reason for me to prefer this kind of film, or bring any bias or preconceived baggage to watching it, and I rented it originally. However, I have to say this is a thoroughly absorbing, thought provoking and intelligent film which, for these reasons, kept me entertained right from the start - and isn't that the whole point? The film works on many levels, from an appreciation of the superb set design, CGI design and special effects (so good that they sometimes detract from the storyline as your chin hits the floor in amazement!), good dialogue, great action sequences, an excellent performance from Will Smith, and a central character that can draw out your sympathy and even steps it up as the film progresses, and is the real star of the whole show, having to face the ultimate choice each of us must make - choosing one's own destiny.
If you haven't seen it, I envy you. And yes, I have bought a copy. If you only watch it once, you'll miss so much.
A good Will Smith movie.......2007-03-29
Will Smith shows a little more maturity in this one and is good as a robot-hating detective on a case that implicates a robot in a murder, something robots are not supposed to be able to do. Alan Tudyk's portrayal as Sonny, the robot with its own personality that can choose not to obey the three laws was really good. He really is the soul of the film.
I admire the fact that director Alex Proyas tried to blend a good science fiction story with a popcorn movie mentality, although it falls well short of being a classic because of that. Even the special effects, the fights, and the bots were all good. This is one of Smith's better movies (up there with Independence Day). The film works, but one wonders what could have been if Smith didn't always try for a laugh, or if they went for a darker feel. However, despite those problems, it was a fun film.
Average customer rating:
- The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.)
- Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot
- Daring Racial Theme
- More than meets the eye...
- A good Will Smith movie
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I, Robot (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: James Cromwell , Bruce Greenwood , Aaron Joseph , Craig March , and Adrian Ricard
Director: Alex Proyas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP
Wasserman, Jerry
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- The Day After Tomorrow (Widescreen Edition)
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- The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
- Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
- Spider-Man 2.1
Accessories:
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Product Features:
- In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation. System Requirements: Starr
ASIN: B0009K7RSO
Release Date: 2005-07-05 |
Amazon.com
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan (The Sum of All Fears), Bruce Greenwood (The Sweet Hereafter), and James Cromwell (Babe, LA Confidential). --Bret Fetzer
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation.
Customer Reviews:
The Fresh Prince vs. I Robot's. (Now it's on.).......2007-06-17
I recently had the opportunity to view the film I, Robot, or Short Circuit 3 as it has come to be known by the Ft. Collins cultural elite. Although this movie is set 30 years in the future, Detective Del Spooner's (Will Smith) jokes and witty antics keep with the times and never fail to elicit uproarious laughter. I guess phrases like "Oh, hell no" and "Now that's what I'm talkin' bout" are timeless comic masterpieces. Don't let the Fresh Prince's diction fool you, this movie pushes as many P.C. hot buttons as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's recent emotional masterpiece Lethal Weapon 4. I, Robot exemplifies a tried and true statement: when there are a lot of fancy robots in the future, all types of ill stuff will happen. Sure it's the same lesson we learned in The Terminator trilogy but let's face it, jokes and robots never really get old. The producers certainly did their homework in taking some ingredients from other popular sci-fi movies to complete their futuristic recipe for 100% action. A certain scene comes to mind when Will Smith must traverse a giant staircase, pure Ghostbusters. They might as well have suited him with a proton pack and warned him of the dire consequences that may arise by crossing the streams. I guess I can't argue with success. Does the film do its job? While I wasn't impressed very much -- and I am an avid fan of the Bad Boys films -- I have a good feeling that the younger crowd got the message loud and clear. As I was leaving the theater with a few friends, some teenagers in a futuristic looking Subaru yelled swear words at us and drove somewhat recklessly thereafter. (It should be noted that one of us looks strikingly similar to a robot.) They were obviously fired up by what they had just seen and had taken notes from a few of the car chase segments in the film. My fellow theater goers and I shook our heads and laughed: These kids today have no idea, one little fight and your mom may get scared, then you're moving with your auntsie and uncle to Bel-Air.
Grade C-, spend 7 dollars on one of those hats that make it look like there is an arrow through your head instead.
Nice special effects, somewhat implausible plot.......2007-06-17
I was inherently suspicious of this film, having heard that only about five percent of it had anything whatever to do with Asimov's novel. Taking it on its own terms, though, it's really not a bad hour and fifty minutes of escapism. Will Smith plays Detective Spooner, a man with a bias against robots generally, even though he turns out to be partly bionic himself. The principal architect of the positronic robot revolution -- there's one for every five humans, now -- has apparently committed suicide but Spooner becomes convinced he was killed by one of the new generation of robots U.S.R. is about to release on the market. Asimov's Three Laws don't allow that, but (of course), a way has been found around that little problem. Aside from the fact that the laws even of Newtonian physics are ignored, and that Spooner's weapons seem to hold many thousands of bullets, the gymnastics of the big climatic scene are no more implausible than those in Star Wars. Nice CGI, too.
Daring Racial Theme.......2007-05-01
I am not quite sure if everyone picked up the daring racial theme in this movie. The robots operate as a type of slave society on which humans rely, much like ancient Rome or America as a developing nation. Keep in mind that not only did the economy of the Old South depend on black slavery but Yankee trading firms greatly strengthened their capital base through the well-known "triangular trade", in which captured Africans would be transported across the Atlantic and sold at great profit.
So, here we are in the future with robots now the subject class. Will Smith plays the standard Black American action hero. However, instead of sympathizing with the robots, his character appears to be working out some sort of vendetta toward them -- and prejudice. Detective Spooner is right to suspect a robot uprising but his motives hardly seem pure.
At the end of the movie, we see that Detective Spooner's hostility toward the robots is not because they are different from him but because they are too similar. "I, Robot" rejects the standard movie sentimentality toward Black American males and holds its protagonist up to an unsparing moral judgment.
More than meets the eye..........2007-04-29
I'm not a devotee of Will Smith/Asimov/Sci-fi nor a film buff, so there's no reason for me to prefer this kind of film, or bring any bias or preconceived baggage to watching it, and I rented it originally. However, I have to say this is a thoroughly absorbing, thought provoking and intelligent film which, for these reasons, kept me entertained right from the start - and isn't that the whole point? The film works on many levels, from an appreciation of the superb set design, CGI design and special effects (so good that they sometimes detract from the storyline as your chin hits the floor in amazement!), good dialogue, great action sequences, an excellent performance from Will Smith, and a central character that can draw out your sympathy and even steps it up as the film progresses, and is the real star of the whole show, having to face the ultimate choice each of us must make - choosing one's own destiny.
If you haven't seen it, I envy you. And yes, I have bought a copy. If you only watch it once, you'll miss so much.
A good Will Smith movie.......2007-03-29
Will Smith shows a little more maturity in this one and is good as a robot-hating detective on a case that implicates a robot in a murder, something robots are not supposed to be able to do. Alan Tudyk's portrayal as Sonny, the robot with its own personality that can choose not to obey the three laws was really good. He really is the soul of the film.
I admire the fact that director Alex Proyas tried to blend a good science fiction story with a popcorn movie mentality, although it falls well short of being a classic because of that. Even the special effects, the fights, and the bots were all good. This is one of Smith's better movies (up there with Independence Day). The film works, but one wonders what could have been if Smith didn't always try for a laugh, or if they went for a darker feel. However, despite those problems, it was a fun film.
Average customer rating:
- My 4-year-old loves it
- ok, if you want to play with remote the whole time...
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I Spy - A Runaway Robot and Other Stories
Starring: Tara Jayne , Ellen Lee , Cindy Creekmore , Big Al , and Big Al (III)
Director: Cote Zellers
Manufacturer: HBO Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009OOFE
Release Date: 2003-07-29 |
Description
Animated series produced by Scholastic Entertainment, award-winning producers of Clifford The Big Red Dog, Dear America, Goosebumps and Scholastic's The Magic School Bus. This new interactive stop motion animated series airing on HBO Family, inspired by the magical book series, brings I Spy to an entirely new audience. Two delightful new "claymation" characters, Spyler and CeCe, lead young viewers through search and find adventures set in an imaginary world. The series' eclectic soundtrack musically complements the visual assortment of bright objects in the series, incorporating sounds made by everyday objects as musical notes, further encouraging young viewers' imaginations and engagement in the game. Includes: A Runaway Robot; A Little Lost Lamb; A Starry Sky; Circus Things In Three Rings; A Mumble Monster Picture Day; Clouds Roll By
Customer Reviews:
My 4-year-old loves it.......2004-06-21
My son loves this video and a DVD we have from the same series. The DVD will only play two 15 minutes episodes (there are 6 oon each DVD) before returning to the menu, there is no "play all" feature, but my son dearly loves the show and watches closely to spot the clues first. There are bonus challenges (additional items to look for) that will challenge slightly older children as well.
ok, if you want to play with remote the whole time..........2004-01-21
The stories were good. Very entertaining, but I am selling mine on Ebay because I am tired of having to start from the menu again and choosing the next story to continue evey 15 minutes. I like a movie to play through. It was annoying.
Average customer rating:
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i, robot
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ASIN: B000GQR9HK |
Product Description
Superstar Will Smith rages against the machines in this mind-blowing, sci-fi action thriller! When a scientist (James Cromwell) is found dead, robophobic detective Del Spooner (Smith) suspects an advanced robot committed the murder.
Average customer rating:
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I, Robot/Independence Day
Starring: Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Alan Tudyk , James Cromwell , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Alex Proyas , and Roland Emmerich
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ASIN: B000BCE9BI
Release Date: 2005-12-13 |
Description
I, Robot - In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation. Independence Day - One of the biggest box office hits of all time delivers the ultimate encounter when mysterious and powerful aliens launch an all-out invasion against the human race. The spectacle begins when massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies. But wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet. Now the world's only hope lies with a determinded band of survivors, uniting for one last strike against the invaders - before it's the end of all mankind.
Customer Reviews:
What a Hunk!.......2007-05-01
I love these movies with Will Smith! They are action packed with a touch of romance and comedy! He is amazing.
Average customer rating:
- I GREW UP ON THESE MOVIES! MST 3K TAKES ON AN OLD FAVORITE!
- The Crow Of Diamonds?
- "Hi. I'm Peter Graves..."
- Grasshoppers crawl across postcards, and MST3K is there
- Saving the world from giant grasshoppers
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Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Beginning of the End
Starring: Peter Graves , Peggie Castle , Morris Ankrum , Than Wyenn , and Thomas Browne Henry
Director: Bert I. Gordon
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ASIN: B000056VOP
Release Date: 2001-01-23 |
Amazon.com
Leapin' locusts! It's giant-insect time again, only this time the radiation from an agricultural experiment has turned Chicago into a breeding ground for gargantuan grasshoppers. It's all courtesy of '50s sci-fi schlockmeister Bert I. Gordon of The Amazing Colossal Man fame, and with Peter Graves as the nominal bug-busting hero, it's no wonder the guys at MST3K decided to roast this 1957 turkey on their popular TV show. But which is funnier, the movie itself or the skewering it gets from the snickering silhouettes of Joel, Crow, and Tom Servo? No matter, because you can have it both ways on this dubious DVD--plain or nutty! Some of the MST3K gags are cleverly twisted for trivia buffs (as when a cop approaches a wrecked car and Tom Servo says, "Uh... Miss Mansfield?" or when the sight of falling grasshoppers yields the ad-lib "Carry on our businesssssss..."). There are more hits than misses, and the movie's every bit as awful... er, great... as it sounds! --Jeff Shannon
Description
A mad scientist attempts to drive his captive, Mike Nelson, insane by forcing him to watch B-Movies. This episode's feature is "The Beginning of the End" (1957, 76 min.) - An enterprising journalist investigates the story of giant grasshoppers accidentally created at the Illinois State experimental farm. She struggles to save the city of Chicago, despite military resistance in their efforts to cover-up.
Customer Reviews:
I GREW UP ON THESE MOVIES! MST 3K TAKES ON AN OLD FAVORITE!.......2007-06-07
Well it's a good thing I have a sense of humor,because this film holds fond memories for me. I know it is a ridiculous movie,but I like it! What can I say? The special effects are beyond horrible. The scene when the giant grasshoppers are climbing the building near the end of the picture is a photograph with real grasshoppers crawling on it!..hysterically funny stuff. When you add the gang of MST3K in, you know your in for some fun!
The Crow Of Diamonds?.......2007-02-06
Another Bert I. Gordon masterpiece, "The Beginning of the End" features a wooden Peter Graves waxing philosophic about the effects of radiation on locusts (not grasshoppers), which have grown to varying sizes and are maurauding through an oddly-mountainous Illinois, dispatching of entire towns. Graves is accompanied by a plucky female journalist and (briefly) a deaf-mute gardening assistant. Add in half-hearted special effects (shot after shot of locusts crawling up postcards of buildings) and some leery directing (an opening car sequence that takes forever to end; a lascivious locust staring into an apartment at a freshly showered woman in a towl), and you've got your typical D-Grade schlock.
This is one of the first episodes from the Mike Nelson season (the back of the DVD box features Joel's friendly mug; don't be fooled), and as such, there is some hesitancy in the jokes, some ground feeling. The opening host segment -- where Mike receives a bizarre phone call from a trailer trash mom who thinks he's someone else -- sets a great tone for the show, as does the invention exchange (the "Re-Comfy-Bike" and new playing cards), but the movie is such a dud that the riffs are often repetitive and rare.
The host segments inject a bit of life into the dullness. One of them though, a deliberately non-funny stand-up routine by Tom, is SO deliberately non-funny that it ... well, it really isn't funny, mirroring in a sad way the status of the entire film. The joke of the show hinges on movies that are so bad they're funny, but every once in a while the MST3K crew finds a movie that's so bad it's, well, it's nothing but bad. "The Beginning of the End" comes close to that; after all, there are only so many jokes that can be made about long, ponderous silences and recycled dialogue/scenes. Mike and the bots do the best they can here, but the end result is just so-so. For die-hard collectors only.
"Hi. I'm Peter Graves...".......2005-06-23
I can see MST3K co-writer/performer Trace Beaulieu was just itchin' for the show to get a bad movie with Peter Graves in it so's he could do his impression of the "Mission: Impossible" star for all the world to see (and be annoyed with). And, thanks to the future A&E Biographer starring in "The Beginning of the End"-- which sounds a heckuva lot better than "Attack of the Giant Mutant Grasshoppers", which is what its title SHOULD have been-- the man you all know as Dr. Clayton Forrester and the voice of Crow T. Robot finally gets his wish. Check out the intermission sketch where Crow and his SOL cohorts rehearse an appallingly ponderous script about Peter Graves' college years at the University of Minnesota, and you'll see what I mean. Thanks to this downright dumb moment, I'm liable to deck the next guy who utters, "Hi. I'm Peter Graves" in that trademark voice...
Annoying impressions aside, "The Beginning of the End" is one of the better flicks MST3K has taken upon itself to mercilessly goof on. There's plenty of laugh-out-loud jabs and more than a few so-dumb-they're-funny groaners (Like Tom referring to some store mannequins as being "scared stiff"). This one also has a few gags that take a second to sink in before you say, "D'oh!" and find yourself in disbelief that you didn't catch on to it sooner than ya did. Then there's the opposite type of gag, the one you can see comin' from a mile away (like Tom's shouting out the lyrics of a Monkees song in response to something a bit character utters). But even though you just knew it was comin', you simply can't believe they actually said it!
The only real drawback I saw in this presentation was the last third of the film before the climax, where our beloved SOL denizens were havin' a hard time coming up with anything particularly hilarious. Fortunately, the buildup to the climax (where the locusts invade Chicago) managed to wrangle a rather festive array of zingers from relative newcomer (at the time) Mike Nelson and the droids. Especially fun is the locusts attacking postcards of various Chicago skyscrapers, a little something the terrible trio would reenact with their vacation postcards at the end of the show.
Bottom line: While I usually find MST3K funny, its hilarity tends to be inconsistent. For every couple of really good yuk-wranglers, there's one that's mediocre, and one that's hardly funny at all. Fortunately, this one definitely falls into the "yuk-wranglers" category, albeit not as big a "yuk-wrangler" as the terrible trio's cut-down of "The Brain That Wouldn't Die". None the less, this one's highly recommended.
Also of interest: this platter not only contains the MST3K rendition of "The Beginning of the End", it also has the uncut version of the flick on the flip side so's you can do your own goofing! I tried my hand at it, and I must admit I'm not quite as good at it as Mike and the `Bots are. `Course, even without any snide commentary or razor-tongued put-downs, the flick's pretty danged funny all on its own. Sadly, the "choose which version you want to watch" feature is absent on the more recent MST3K DVD releases...
`Late
Grasshoppers crawl across postcards, and MST3K is there.......2005-04-25
Hello. I'm Peter Graves. Granted, my Peter Graves impersonation works much better when you can actually hear me do it, but you can't talk about MST3K's hilarious send-up of The Beginning of the End without following in Crow's footsteps and doing constant Peter Graves impressions. This is classic MST3K, the fifth experiment featuring Mike Nelson as the human test subject on the Satellite of Love. Those of us Joel loyalists who feared for the future of the show needn't have worried, as Mike took his new role in front of the cameras and flew with it. He was, of course, helped greatly by movies such as this one. Any Bert I. Gordon film featuring music by Albert Glasser was basically made to be riffed, and Mike and the Bots really have at it here.
The film itself features gigantic locusts laying waste to the state of Illinois, and the finest military force in the world finds itself thoroughly licked by the onslaught. Of course, things don't start out with a lot of excitement. This is a Bert I. Gordon movie, after all. The very first shot after the opening credits shows us a road with a vehicle approaching in the distance - way back in the distance, so far back you sit there and sit there wondering if anything is actually going to happen before you even spot the car. Then, Gordon throws us right into a big mystery; it seems the town of Ludlow, Illinois, has been destroyed, its population of 150 vanished into thin air. The National Guard's there, but they aren't talking, not even to famous journalist Audrey Ames (Peggy Castle). As the story begins to emerge, though, she joins up with Dr. Wainwright (Graves), a local entomologist, and quickly discovers that it's all Wainwright's fault. He's the one who was growing all the radioactive super-sized vegetables, which proved to be quite appetizing to locusts, and now there's a bazillion of the little buggers grown to immense size and destroying everything in their path. Surprisingly, the military folks don't immediately embrace this story of a plague of gigantic locusts, but they soon learn just what they are up against - and fail miserably when they try to take the critters out. Emerging out of the, ahem, world-famous Illinois mountains, the horde of mega-locusts make a, ahem, bee-line for Chicago - apparently, the locusts are Cubs fans who just can't take bear the thought of another season without a pennant. Perhaps the very fate of humanity rests in Peter Graves' hands, and his ultimate solution involves giving a locust a lie-detector test. Run for your lives!
Once the locusts get to Chicago, Bert I. Gordon goes a little crazy showing grasshoppers crawling all over postcards (I mean, buildings). There's no way the guys at Best Brains could have resisted riffing such a film. The fun doesn't stop in the theater, either. Poor naïve Mike sneaks an unscheduled peak at the Mads in the middle of the film - and it's not pretty. You also get Tom Servo's unique one-man comedy show inspired by The Beginning of the End, the unveiling of Dr. Forrester's super-comfy Re-comfy Bike, and - best of all - a little production of Crow's screenplay all about Peter Graves' years at the University of Minnesota. All of this comes together to make experiment # 517, The Beginning of the End, one of the MST3K commercial releases you really shouldn't do without.
Saving the world from giant grasshoppers.......2005-02-17
A review by the students in ENT 201, Insects on Film (Clemson University, Clemson, SC) Spring 2005
When better to meet your new man than while saving the world from GIANT radioactive grasshoppers! That's what happened to Audrey Ames in Beginning of the End. The black and white movie, produced in 1957, takes place in a small Illinois town called Ludlow, near the big city of Chicago. The main character, Audrey, is a persistent reporter who discovers a new and interesting story on her way to write about a lackluster flying demonstration. On her way to the flying demo, she is stopped at a roadblock in the town of Ludlow, Illinois. It seems that the town has been mysteriously destroyed overnight! Following a lead, Audrey goes to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and meets with the project director named Dr. Ed Wainwright in order to find out more about what happened. Dr. Wainwright tells Audrey about a wheat factory that was demolished in the same area before the destruction of Ludlow. Ed, Audrey and Ed's co-worker, Frank, go to investigate the abandoned grain bins. While they are there, a locust comes from the woods and eats Ed's co-worker. They finally realize what is destroying the towns and eating the people-although it's a little too late for poor Frank Johnson.
Determined to resolve the problem, the military enlists the help of Dr. Wainwright, who tries to find a sound frequency that mimics the sound grasshoppers make before they attack. The viewer of this film will be held in utter suspense, until, at a climatic moment, Dr. Wainwright discovers the right frequency and saves the city of Chicago from the military's impending drop of an atom bomb. The sound is broadcast from a boat in a lake outside of Chicago and the sound attracts the grasshoppers to the lake. As the grasshoppers follow the luring sound, they eventually end up in the lake where they meet a watery death. The city of Chicago is safe and everyone lives happily ever after (except, sadly, those who were eaten alive by the radioactive grasshoppers).
While this movie has extremely entertaining moments, such as when the grasshoppers scale the skyscrapers of Chicago looking for food-the movie, in general, is a B attempt at science fiction. Also, the movie was produced during the 1950s, resulting in minimal attempts at realistic special effects. The special effects are entertaining at best and add humor more than substance to the movie. The viewer also might be left with several questions after watching this movie-like why can't the National Guard protect the citizens from grasshoppers? Or, why is it more funny than tragic when Dr. Wainwright's deaf/mute assistance gets eaten alive by a grasshopper?
On a scientific or scholarly level, the movie has several errors. The most important error, in the entomological sense, is the noise that the grasshoppers make throughout the movie. To make the noise that they did in the movie, they would need wings. In the movie though, the characters say that the grasshoppers could not fly because they didn't have wings. Also, the scientist indicates that the giant vegetables were produced through radioactivity, which allows for photosynthesis to occur both day and night. For photosynthesis to occur, light must be present, thus raising the question of how the vegetables could continue to expand during the darkness of night. The inability of the grasshoppers to burn in the fires set by the military reflects an error as well. In reality, grasshoppers are highly flammable because of their wax-like coating. Finally, the plot as a whole is completely unrealistic and so bizarre that the movie should be placed in the comedy (opposed to science fiction) genre. While Clemson University research may have led to the evacuation of mole crickets from golf course greens, using technological concepts similar to those presented in the movie, the likelihood that radioactive grasshoppers would eat hundreds of people is improbable.
Beginning of the End is an amusing movie to watch! The acting is traditional of the sci-fi movies of the era. The special effects are mediocre, but the humor, in retrospect, is delightful. If you are a fan of cheesy sci-fi suspense movies, give this flick a try! You will not be disappointed. Who knows-maybe you'll learn something that could save the world the next time we are attacked by radioactive BUGS!
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I, Robot
Starring: Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Alan Tudyk , James Cromwell , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Alex Proyas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B000O76T7W
Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Description
In the year 2035, technology and robots are a trusted part of everyday life. But that trust is broken when a scientist is found dead and a skeptical detective (Smith) believes that a robot is responsible. Bridget Moynahan co-stars in this high-tech action thriller that questions whether technology will ultimately lead to mankind's salvation . . . or annihilation.
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Robot Pilot
Starring: Evelyn Brent , William Halligan , I. Stanford Jolley , George Sherwood , and Forrest Tucker
Director: William Beaudine
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
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Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
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