Parents' Guide to

I, Robot

By Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Will Smith almost redeems generic man vs. machine actioner.

Movie PG-13 2004 90 minutes
I, Robot Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 16 parent reviews

genesisday
genesisday Adult
March 2, 2023
age 15+

Undocumented f-bomb

Please note that there is one f-word and nothing else notes this. I rely on Common sense media when showing films to my students and learned with this film that it is unreliable.
Ugzilla
Ugzilla Adult
December 23, 2019
age 12+

Action-packed, violent, strong language - great film

I would say that some of the language gets strong. One exchange between characters objectifies a woman with some colorful language, however no nudity. Over-the-top Will Smith action scenes like everything he did in this time period, which kids love. Very suspenseful, lots of violence, but nothing graphic nor gory. Great themes to discuss with the kids - what if robots did become more independent? Some of our world's sharpest minds are discussing that very topic in recent years... Healthy skepticism, standing up for what you believe even when everyone is against you. Fun, action-packed thriller, good suspense, and the positive overcomes the negative, I believe.
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What's the Story?

Chicago, 2035. Robots are an integral part of society's daily life. On the eve of the launch of a new, advanced order of robot technology, the scientist responsible for its development (James Cromwell) is found dead, presumably a suicide. Police Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) is called in to investigate. Spooner, who admits to an ongoing prejudice against robots, believes the scientist was murdered. His suspicions are bolstered when he confronts a renegade robot, "Sunny," who appears to have broken the accepted robot code. Spooner becomes a target himself as he pursues his theory against the wishes of the police establishment and in defiance of U.S. Robotics, a corporate giant. As Spooner gets closer to the truth, war between Man and The Machine becomes inevitable.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16 ):
Kids say (66 ):

On some levels, the movie works: There are lots of good special effects, imaginative settings, the requisite mayhem, destruction, and suspense. I, ROBOT is inspired by a collection of Isaac Asimov stories; in those stories, basic laws for robot behavior are set down: 1) a robot cannot harm a human or allow one to be harmed; 2) a robot must obey human instructions less those instructions conflict with Law #1; and 3) a robot must protect himself unless doing so conflicts with Laws #1 and #2. Using those basic rules, director Alex Proyas and his team set out to make an entertaining "good versus evil" action movie with hero Will Smith reliable in his likable "everyman" role. Unfortunately, very little attention has been paid to wit or originality. Even less attention has been paid to the quality of some key performances: a few characters are one-note wonders and others seem even more robotic than the automated fellows with whom they interact. Entertaining, yes; memorable, no.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about technology. What do you think the filmmakers are trying to say about the fast pace of developing technology? What are the positive effects of the changes? What are the dangers?

  • Do you think that movie violence is easier to watch when the object of destruction is not human? How does that compare to "cartoon" violence?

  • Was the movie successful at creating the year 2035? How did the sets, visual effects, music, and costumes contribute to your experience?

  • Del Spooner seems to be the only person suspicious of the robot culture. What kinds of pressure does he have to face because of his beliefs? How does he change over the course of the story? How does he change others?

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