I, Robot (2004) or, Robot Trouble!

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Will Smith looks extremely sour in a leather jacket on this metal-toned poster for Alex Proyas' I, Robot

Chicago 2035: A policeman starts investigating the death of an inventor who was central in the now widespread use of robots, and the implications become dangerous.

 

I, Robot is written by Akiva Goldsman (The Dark Tower (2017)) and Jeff Vintar (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)) and directed by Alex Proyas (Spirits of the Air: Gremlins of the Clouds (1987)).

It is ironic that a film which displays the cold and eerie nature of robots itself seems robotic. Will Smith (Men in Black II (2002)) is the politically correct figurehead on this action picture that's so chockful of clichés that is almost hurts to watch it.

The vision of the future offered here is exceedingly optimistic, - the energy aspect alone is a joke. The performances and execution are generally sexless and lacking in flavor, as well as thoroughly cleansed of any semblance of movie magic. The quality that I, Robot does have going for it are the impressively created CG robots, which are frightening.

 

Related posts:

 

Alex Proyas: 1994 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

The Crow (1994) - Proyas' unpleasant, exploitative, shameless and ugly turkey 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 120 mil. $

Box office: 353.1 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.94 times its cost)

[I, Robot premiered 7 July (Los Angeles) and runs 115 minutes. Smith was paid 28 mil. $ for his performance in the film. Shooting took place from May - October 2003 in British Columbia, including in Vancouver, in California and in Chicago, Illinois. The film opened #1 to a 52.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4), grossing 144.8 mil. $ (41 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 33.8 mil. $ (9.6 %) and the UK with 32.9 mil. $ (9.3 %). The film was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, lost to Spider-Man 2, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 2/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Proyas returned with Fad Gadget by Frank Tovey (2006, video) and theatrically with Knowing (2009). Smith returned with a voice performance in Shark Tale (2004), Club Oscar (2005, short) and theatrically and physically in Hitch (2005). I, Robot is rotten at 57 % with a 6.0/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of I, Robot?

The Recruit (2003) - Farrell and other factors buoy Donaldson's uninspired CIA thriller

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Al Pacino and Colin Farrell look mysterious in black in a cold hallway on this dark poster for Roger Donaldson's The Recruit

James Clayton is a young man who gets recruited by the CIA; he is trained at their facility 'the Farm' and his recruiter enlists him to look for a mole there.

The Recruit is written by Roger Towne (The Natural (1984)), Kurt Wimmer (The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)) and Mitch Glazer (A Very Murray Christmas (2015, TV special)) and directed by Australian master filmmaker Roger Donaldson (Sleeping Dogs (1977)), whose 14th feature it is.
SPOILER Al Pacino (Bobby Deerfield (1977)) stars as the fairly predictable wolf in sheep's clothing, giving a routine performance that frankly feels a bit burnt out.
The Recruit gambles on a monotonous ploy of 'dynamic' photography, (nearly no shot is horizontally balanced), and dialog that seems like taglines; everything is a test, and so on and so forth.
What works in the film still are its interrogation scenes, a car chase and Colin Farrell (Fright Night (2011)), who is very watchable as the young recruit. The film is fast forgotten.

Related posts:

Roger Donaldson: 2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Thirteen Days (2000) - Electrifying Cuban Missile Crisis thriller 
Cocktail (1988) - Cruise an iconic stand-out in Donaldson's masterful drama

Pacino and Farrell dine at a crab restaurant in this clip from the film

Cost: 46 mil. $
Box office: 101.1 mil. $
= Flop (returned 2.19 times its cost)
[The Recruit premiered 25 January (Febio Film Festival, the Czech Republic) and runs 115 minutes. Shooting took place in Virginia, Washington DC, and in Ontario, including Toronto, from December 2001 - March 2002. The film opened #1 to a 16.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another week in the top 5 (#4) and grossed 52.8 mil. $ (52.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 7 mil. $ (6.9 %) and Spain with 4.3 mil. $ (4.3 %). Due to its big stars and spy pedigree, the film likely turned profitable with home video sales and TV sales later on. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. CIA employees reviewed the film in 2009, finding it 'entertaining' but 'ridiculous'. Donaldson returned with The World's Fastest Indian (2005). Pacino returned in Gigli (2003); Farrell in Daredevil (2003). The Recruit is rotten at 43 % with a 5.55/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Recruit?

Lord of War (2005) - Cage thrives with a ghastly lead in Niccol's terrific, troubling war drama

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+ Best Villain of the Year: Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlog + Best War Movie of the Year

Star Nicolas Cage chillingly recreated with multi-colored bullets on this menacing poster for Andrew Niccol's Lord of War

One of the world's largest illegal arms dealers and arguably one of the worst persons to touch its surface, Yuri Orlog is the subject of Lord of War.

Lord of War is written, co-produced and directed by great New-Zealander filmmaker Andrew Niccol (Gattaca (1997)), based on several real-life arms dealers and infected third world conflicts. Nicolas Cage (Army of One (2016)) is perfect as the fascinating and eerie title character; he throws himself bravely and fearlessly out on deep waters yet again here with a truly despicable role. In Lord of War, Cage gets solid backup from Bridget Moynahan (Battle Los Angeles (2011)), Jared Leto (Lonely Hearts (2006)) and Ian Holm (Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)).
This societally critical war drama is shot and scored by filmmakers who seem to know their Scorsese, (the American master filmmaker seems a tangible source of inspiration for Niccol and Co.) 
The impact comes through irregardless: Lord of War is a strong and despairing (anti)war picture that makes its audiences alternatively laugh and cry.

 

Related post:

 

2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Watch one staggering scene from the film here

Cost: 50 mil. $
Box office: 72.6 mil. $
= Big flop (returned 1.45 times its cost)
[Lord of War was released 16 September (USA) and runs 121 minutes. Shooting took place in New York, Utah, the Czech Republic and South Africa, including Cape Town, from August - November 2004. A Czech weapons dealer source supplied the production with 50 tanks, which were shipped off to Libya weeks later. The production bought 3,000 SA Vz. 58 rifles to stand in for Kalashnikovs, as they were cheaper than buying prop guns. The film opened #3, behind fellow new release Just Like Heaven and holdover hit The Exorcism of Emily Rose, to a 9.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd week and grossed 24.1 mil. $ (33.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were France with 8.3 mil. $ (11.4 %) and the UK with 4.3 mil. $ (5.9 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. It also won a special recognition mention from the National Board of Review. Niccol returned with In Time (2011). Cage returned in The Weather Man (2005). Lord of War is fresh at 62 % with a 6.17/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Lord of War?