Domo Arigato, Mr. Asimov

INFO TECHNOLOGY: I just read Chris Suellentrop’s Slate article about how I, Robot misses the point of Asimov’s book of the same name. I gotta say, Isaac Asimov purists are giving I, Robot way too much flak. I saw the movie on Saturday and was very impressed. Yes, the robots flip out at some point and start killing people. But wouldn’t it be a boring movie if it was just peaches and cream, kittens and rainbows? “Hey kids, look at the future, it’s perfect!” Zzzzzz…







I personally love the way the movie portrayed a logical conflict in Asimov's three rules. (I won’t get into it and spoil it for you.) And to those that argue that the movie is one long robot hate-fest: I didn’t come away with that feeling at all. In fact, I felt the movie was decidedly pro-technology.



Where this movie really gets it right is in its vision of the future. It’s very middle-of-the-road; not a complete dystopia (Matrix, Metropolis, Brazil, 1984, The Terminators, Blade Runner, Minority Report, AI, Gattaca, The Running Man, ad infinitum) but not a pure utopia (to which no sci-fi movies apply) either.



And then there’s Will Smith. This guy has to be the most likable guy in cinema today. He’s the perfect American in everyway. When is this guy going to run for Governor? I’d take him over that Austrian from that other, far inferior, robot movie any day.



Speaking of Robots, have you ever wondered what this line in Styx’s Mr. Roboto song meant?

Mata ah-oo hima de.

Himitsu wo shiri tai.

Find the answer here.



(Read the article at Slate / Buy your own NS-5 / Read the Lyrics to Styx's BEST SONG EVA)