THE BOTTOM OF THINGS

By Michael Sampson

January 14, 2004

1) Robots must never harm human beings or do anything that would directly harm a human being
2) Robots must follow instructions from humans, as long as those instructions do not violate the first rule of robotics
3) Robots must protect themselves, provided those actions do not violation the other two rules of robotics

Those are the three laws of robotics according to Isaac Asimov. Those three laws will be coming to the big screen this summer in the big-budget Will Smith flick I, ROBOT. The film co-stars Bridget Moynahan and is directed by Alex Proyas (DARK CITY). But of most interest to sci-fi fans, the film is a departure from Asimov’s short stories.

To that critique, Proyas says, “Dear Lord, some people are thick!”

The director’s defense – and a valid one at that – is that I, ROBOT is a series of short stories and it would be near impossible to make one coherent film from them. Proyas explains that his film will be “more of a prequel to the Asimov cycle.”

I, ROBOT started out as a spec script from then-unknown writer Jeff Vintar titled HARDWIRED. The script followed a detective, Del Spooner, investigating a crime where the main suspects are robots. That script caught attention quickly and Bryan Singer was attached to direct while the project was set at Disney. For whatever reason (likely Singer’s dedication to X-MEN and resulting burnout), the project never got going and Disney put it in turnaround where it was picked up by Fox. While the director was working with the studio on the indie comedy GARAGE DAYS, he also began talking to them about possibly taking on HARDWIRED. Soon Proyas was signed and the project began to get a head of steam.

Shortly thereafter, Fox acquired the rights to the I, ROBOT series (and eventually also Asimov’s other classic, “The Foundation”) and decided to take Vintar’s script and incorporate many of the ideas from Asimov’s book. The impetus being I, ROBOT comes with name recognition, unlike HARDWIRED. For example, Universal could have filmed a regular movie about zombies who take over the world and NOT called it DAWN OF THE DEAD. But DOTD comes with name recognition and will theoretically draw more people than a generic zombie film would.

Around late 2002/early 2003, Academy Award-winner Akiva Goldsman was brought in, along with INSOMNIA writer Hilary Seitz, for a polish, making the transition from HARDWIRED to I, ROBOT complete. (In an interesting twist, Vintar was retained by Fox to adapt Asimov’s “Foundation” into a film.)

Just because two well-regarded screenwriters took a pass at making the film more Asimov-happy, doesn’t mean it will make Asimov fans happy.

Most glaringly, Dr. Susan Calvin, a major character in Asimov’s stories, has gone from a bookish woman in her golden years to Bridget Moynahan, a 31-year-old former model.

This may not seem like much but it signals to some the desire of Fox’s part to sex up the Asimov tale and make them more like your traditional summer blockbuster. Action. Explosions. Guns. Will Smith mugging. Bridget Moynahan in low-cut tops and short skirts. Not exactly the Asimov you’re used to.

Considering the budget being as high as it is (rumors say upwards of $200 million, a number Proyas denies), one can hardly blame Fox for trying to make sure the riskier of their two summer blockbusters (the other being DAY AFTER TOMORROW) has a little something for everyone and not just the sci-fi fan. Proyas refuses comment when asked about any potential Fox interference on the film, but fans should take solace in the fact that this Proyas is the man who brought us THE CROW and DARK CITY. Both commercially successful while being much darker than your traditional studio film.

I, ROBOT will certainly have enough by way of computer effects to keep the audiences eyes visually stimulated. Both Digital Domain and WETA Digital were retained to provide the effects, including a CGI character based on a human actor (a la Gollum), who happens to be one of the main characters in the film. And the film’s finale features a stunning car chase through the a tunnel in the futuristic city where the cars are all automated. As for Bridget Moynahan cleavage, I can’t promise anything.

But all that money and all those expensive effects mean one thing: long days. Proyas says, “Surviving a hundred day plus shoot is not easy. The thing that keeps you going is faith in what you are doing. Living through five months of 4-5 hours of sleep per night is as close to sadistic torture as I have ever experienced, and can only be justified by the end product - if it turns out well, it makes it worthwhile.”

The film itself, which Proyas describes as being a “documentary of the future” follows Will Smith's Chicago Police Detective Del Spooner, an admitted “robotophobe,” and his investigation into the death of Dr. Miles Hogenmiller, a worker at US Robotics. Dr. Susan Calvin (Moynahan) is a psychologist who specializes in working with robots and is called in to help Spooner with his investigation. The initial cause of death is listed as suicide but Spooner begins to suspect foul play. The deceased doctor left behind a hologram of himself, detailing his last great project before his death – a robot with a living brain named Sonny. As Spooner investigates further Sonny appears to be the prime suspect in the murder of his creator. But according to the 3LawsSafe technology (the film’s clever spin on Asimov’s three laws of robotics), this is impossible. Dr. Lance Robertson (Bruce Greenwood) is a top executive at USR who learns of Spooner’s radical theory and looks to thwart any investigation that may tarnish his company’s good name. The key may lay with eccentric robot creator Dr. Alfred Lanning, who has created the most advanced robot ever built and now spends his days and nights in his disheveled lab. Spooner and Calvin set out to find the truth behind the murder and the possibility that the 3LawsSafe technology may have been violated and if so, to stop them before they eventually take over the world. Unless they already have…

Proyas eschews similarities to DARK CITY or MINORITY REPORT saying, “it’s quite a different film” and that it’s “nothing like” either of those films.

The teaser trailer debuted before prints of RETURN OF THE KING and it prompted many people to wonder exactly what they were watching. Was that REALLY a commercial for a robotic assistant? Fox took a gamble by never hinting that the ad was really a trailer for their big summer 2004 movie but Proyas had nothing but glowing reviews. “It is a pretty unique and hopefully unexpected way to promote our movie,” he says and hopes that as it develops it will pique interest in the film in ways a traditional campaign couldn’t. For those hungering for a new trailer that actually features some footage from the film, you won’t have to wait long. Proyas and Fox are cutting a new teaser that will likely run during the Super Bowl, but both parties are coy as to details (Proyas said, “you’ll have to wait and see” and Fox refused to comment).

For those worried about the film and how it will live up to the legacy of Asimov, I don’t think you’ll be very disappointed. While it isn’t exactly what you may have read in the short stories, as Proyas says, nothing ever could be. What I, ROBOT will be is an intelligent sci-fi film based upon some of the theories Asimov introduced in his books. By all accounts, it’s a fantastic script and we know Proyas can direct like the Dickens, so now all we have to do is get past…gulp…Will Smith.

Thanks to the official Alex Proyas website, MysteryClock.com, for providing some of the information and quotes from Alex in this column.

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