I, Robot

A science fiction thriller in which production design takes a back seat to... well... nothing. Nominally based on Isaac Asimov's book, the script is truly one of the laziest, most sloppily written ever to launch a major Hollywood production. The movie is set in the future, but the filmmakers forgot to update Will Smith's (he plays the cop hero) wardrobe, attitude, bad jokes, or clichéd relationship with his sweet, pie-baking grandma. The movie is shiny and sleek looking, but that can't begin make up for the witless story execution ("Um... how will the hero break into the villain's fortress? I know! The bad guys have the best security, except for this one service tunnel right over here!" "Gee, how will we know the good robots from the bad robots? I know! When the robots turn bad, their chest will glow red!" "Say, can't we give the robot hero a sweeter face, so we can tell him apart from the non-hero robots?") The action scenes are well executed, but they exist in a kind of narrative vacuum (one sequence in particular redefines the word overkill). Oh, and would it be mean spirited of me to mention that the ending is virtually incomprehensible? I did like the futuristic Audi car, though.