I've just watched the trailer for the film version of 'I, Robot'...i'm not sure if anyone's familiar with the book so let me give you a brief background, it was written in the 50's by Isaac Asimov (who, along with Arthur C. Clarke, initially wrote about many of the things we now take for granted decades before anyone else even considered them...mobile phones, telecommunications satellites, computers, robots etc) and is one of the most influential science-fiction books ever written...why?...because in this book he establishes the three laws of robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Since this book was written *anything* involving robots has been influenced by it...they either follow the laws or something similar (like Data in Star Trek) or completely ignore them and are the exact opposite of Asimov's robots (like a Terminator for example), either way they all owe something to this book of short stories and the ideas raised within it.

Bearing all this in mind (and also the fact that after this book came a series of extremely deep and complex stories that explored the possible paradoxes arising from these 3 laws which are also regarded as some of the best science-fiction ever written) I am considerably less than enthused by the trailer in which we see:
• A wise-cracking Will Smith cruising the streets of a future Chicago on his nice shiny superbike
• A 'Minority Report' alike future (not bad in itself as MR was beautifully designed)
• Will Smith's cop partner (or is he the chief) is, by the look of things the classic cop film cliché...overweight, badly dressed, angry, probably got a heart of gold and he undoubtedly "don't want no loose cannons in my precinct"
• I'm willing to stake my life on Will Smith's character being a 'Loose Cannon'
• Ultimately we see what looks like formulaic fight scenes with robots rampaging through the city and Will and Fat Black Cop/Chief blowing lots of robots to bits with big guns with blue lights on them (can anyone explain to me why it is that *anything* futuristic in these films is basically the same as it is now...it's just either silver or covered in lots of little blue lights)

Now I could be completely wrong here (after all it is only the trailer) and this will end up being a great film...but i'm just rather put off by the fact that all of Asimov's books are written from a scientific and investigative point of view...there are NO pitched robot versus human battles...all of the battles that take place in the books are through the subtleties of conversation and detective work (the 'Robot' series features a detective and his robot partner working together to solve crimes that no-one else can work out...they are the Holmes and Watson of Science-Fiction :)) and they are SO much more interesting and exciting because of it...to see a thought provoking, intelligent story reduced to yet another throwaway, popcorn munching, multiplex filler is SUCH a waste...if they want to make yet another hackneyed sci-fi cop thriller then come up with the idea on your own...DON'T ruin classic stories that should be more in the mould of 'AI', 'Memento' or 'Insomnia' than 'The Matrix' or 'Terminator'...not that they're bad films, not by a long shot, they're just not in keeping with what Asimov's stories were centred around.

I've always wanted to see a film version of the 'Robot' series and the 'Foundation' series of books (and versions of 'Watchmen' and 'V for Vendetta')...but after seeing this I think it's probably best if they're never made as i'd only be disappointed...*sigh* oh well :)