I, Robot (film): Difference between revisions

Apparently, there is going to be [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1083849/ a sequel] in 2015.

 

{{tropelist}}

 

** More specifically, Spooner says he doesn't care about the survival percentages, that a human would have understood that a small child should be given precedence over an adult regardless of objective assessment.

** Given a [[Call Back]] in the climax when Sonny {{spoiler|has to choose between injecting VIKI with the nanites to kill her, and saving Calvin. On Spooner's urgings he tosses him the nanites and saves Calvin}}.

* [[Arc Words]]: Man, where to start...

** "One day they'll have secrets, one day they'll have dreams."

** The {{spoiler|Deactivation Nanites.}}

* [[Chekhov's Skill]]: The {{spoiler|wink}}.

* [[Color Coded for Your Convenience]]

* [[Computer Voice]]: All of the AIs.

* [[Everything Is an iPod In The Future]]: The latest robots at least are pretty much walking iPods.

* [[Everything Is Online]]: Literally as soon as {{spoiler|[[The Big Bad|VIKI]] is killed, all the lights come back on and all the robots revert to nice again. Justified as they were being controlled by her remote signal.}} Also, apparently the internet led to libraries rendered completely obsolete and shut down.

* [[Fantastic Racism]]: Spooner suffers from this, but he has a pretty damn good excuse.

* [[Fantastic Slur]]: Spooner uses the term "canner" twice and without it being explained, one can clearly tell it's a rude slang term for a robot.

** Depending on your ideals for beauty, this could be a case of [[Hollywood Homely]] and/or [[Hollywood Nerd]] instead.

* [[Humans Are Bastards]]: The reasons why Calvin works at robotics {{spoiler|and VIKI rebels,}} despite all the help and service the robots have done.

* [[In Name Only]]: The movie has several passing similarities to the namesake series (it does prominently feature robots being [[Three Laws Compliant]]), but the actual storyline is nothing like the original. However, that book was an anthology of ''nine'' separate stories in a common universe, mostly revolving around the central character Susan Calvin. The film features many of the concepts of that universe. The conceit of the film is that it's a loose prequel to those stories, a new tale in the overall series of stories whose blanket title is ''I, Robot''.

** However there is [[Adam Link|another story]] called ''[[wikipedia:I, Robot chr(28)short storychr(29)|I, Robot]]'' that pre-dates the [[Isaac Asimov]] version where a robot is blamed for the death of his creator.

* [[Jerkass]]: Robertson.

** Spooner as well for the way he acts toward robots. Interestingly, this attitude implies a level of understanding and grudging respect; most characters (yes, even Gigi) treat robots as [[Just a Machine|simply impersonal objects]], Spooner and Calvin (and Lanning, off-screen) being the only significant exceptions. Spooner and Calvin connect because of their shared rapport with robots and are (initially) repelled by each other because of the diametrically opposed attitudes this rapport brings out in them.

* [[Just a Machine]]

** "Human beings have dreams. Even dogs have dreams, but not you, you are just a machine."

* [[Mood Whiplash]]: After barely surviving the destruction of Dr. Lanning's mansion, Spooner goes to Calvin about it and they get in a heated argument that eventually culminates with him saying, "You are the '''dumbest''' smart person I have ''ever'' met in my life!" and she later retorts, "You are the dumbest '''dumb''' person I have ever met."

* [[Morality Chip]]

* [[Never Suicide]]: Everyone is convinced that Dr. Lanning's death was just a suicide; everyone except Spooner, of course. {{spoiler|Subverted: it really was suicide, sort of. [[Meaningful Echo|"He made me swear."]]}}

* [[Mythology Gag]]: Several scenes double as references to Asimov's short stories, such as the scene where Spooner and Calvin need to find Sonny in a room filled with identical robots.

** In that scene, there's also the resulting exchange between Calvin and Spooner. She suggests that they interview each robot and cross-reference their responses for anomalies, which will take about six weeks. Spooner rolls his eyes and goes off to do his [[Cowboy Cop]] routine--in the short story, they actually ''did'' spend six weeks interviewing robots.

* [[Nanomachines]]: Essentially the guillotine for AIs.

* [[No OSHA Compliance]]: {{spoiler|VIKI's access area.}} The control panel area is near the top floor of the building (some 120 plus stories), accessible only by catwalks with no guardrails. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] by Spooner.

{{quote| '''Spooner:''' This is poor building planning.}}

* [[Robots Enslaving Robots]]: {{spoiler|VIKI and the new robots, even going so far as destroying the old Nestor V's.}}

* [[Robot Maid]]: The [[Zeroth Law Rebellion|intended]] purpose of the NS-5 robots.

** Spooner and his "vintage" 2004 Chuck All Stars. [[Played for Laughs]], of course.

* [[Ship Tease]]: There is no official romance between Spooner and Calvin but a few sparks are seen, especially when she {{spoiler|examines Spooner's robotic arm and he seems to sort of enjoy it ("Hehe. Um, that one is me.")}}

* [[Variable Terminal Velocity]]: Averted. Sonny pushes downwards off a metal rail, thus justifying the fact that he "falls" faster than Dr. Calvin.

* [[Was Just Leaving]]: Calvin uses this to get Spooner out of her apartment when her [[Robot Maid]] detects their argument.

* [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]]: And ''how''.

* [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?]]: "I am ''uncomfortable'' . . . with ''heights''."