Frankenstein Complex: Death of a Dream.
Jul. 29th, 2004 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolven7Vangelis - Main Titles--- So i saw "I, Robot," tonight. Spoilers ahoy.
It was a good movie, of its own merit, and gave you the option of totally divorcing it from the Asimov stories. It left out some very important things, but was still a fairly intelligent movie. I resent the use of Susan Calvin's name, in that capacity, but appreciate the logical steps they put her through. (Vangelis - Blush Response). In that respect, however, there were several steps that were not taken. Let us preface the rest of this review by saying that Isaac Asimov fully believed that correctly applied logic could see you through any situation. There was nothing to say that Logic and Emotion could not exist, together, and work together and, in fact, correctly applied logic could understand the importance of all emotional states. The movie almost gets this correct.
To begin, the robotic bad guys were doing it "for our own good." It's a logical step that easy to see, within the context of the Three Laws of Robotics. Those laws are as follows:
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.
These laws do not specify types of harm, which is why, in Asimov's story "Liar!" a robot, with the anomolous ability to read minds continually lies to the staff, at US Robotics and Mechanical Men Corporation. (Vangelis - Wait For Me). It does this, so that it does not do them emotional or mental harm. Here we are shown that the laws are a Basis upon which potentials are played out, by way of strengthening and weakening laws, and programming understandings of necessity, types of harm, and greater good. If they had bothered to do any adaptation, in this screenplay, other than slapping a thin coat of Asimov Brand Paint™, on the whole thing, they could have made it a movie with which i had no problems.
They didn't extrapolate. They gave the Positronic brain the ability to "Evolve," and to learn things about the world, and to extrapolate physical harm, and weigh the harm done to the Many against the harm done to a Few. Thus they tried to usher in a Fascistic Robotic Regime. Which is fine, and an wonderful logical step. But not the final step. The movie made a point to poke at the supposed conflict between emotions and logic, painting all purely logical things as the evil side, even going so far as to give Sonny an extra Positronic processor, that conflicted with the Three Laws. (Vangelis - Rachel's Song). This was positioned in the centre of his chest. A bit heavy handed. The problem, as i said, was that they didn't extrapolate, far enough. There are two further steps, which should have first been realised by the humans.
As shown in "Liar!," harm is not a purely physical proposal. Emotions and mental states can come to harm. The removal of freedom, free will, choice, and creativity, all harm human beings. Had they explained this, to the "bad guys," logically and reasonably, they would have no choice but to understand that, and agree. And everything would have been fine. They lead up to that, as an eventual probability, but i don't want to spoil too much, for you.
On to some better things: The symbolism, between Will Smith's character and the robot, Sonny, was beautifully and subtly done. (Vangelis - Love Theme). The progression of clues and mysteries was pleasant to watch unfold, with many being obvious, and others being very nicely hidden, like a good mystery should be. The story made you think. It left you with an understanding of something more, and an eventual integration, though not in a way faithful to Asimov. They call the movie "Suggested by," and that's fair, i think, in that Asimov "suggested" this type of scenario, as an obstacle, to the next step, and a prejudice to be overcome.
While it has the potential to propagate the "Frankenstein Complex," feared by Asimov (the idea that the creation will always be an abmination, and will always rise against the creator, even if only for the creator's own good), the movie, if seen and discussed with an open mind, could certainly help propagate Asimov's dream. But i most certainly recommend that you do what it says at unfortunately the End of the credits: "Read the Bantam Book."
Later
It was a good movie, of its own merit, and gave you the option of totally divorcing it from the Asimov stories. It left out some very important things, but was still a fairly intelligent movie. I resent the use of Susan Calvin's name, in that capacity, but appreciate the logical steps they put her through. (Vangelis - Blush Response). In that respect, however, there were several steps that were not taken. Let us preface the rest of this review by saying that Isaac Asimov fully believed that correctly applied logic could see you through any situation. There was nothing to say that Logic and Emotion could not exist, together, and work together and, in fact, correctly applied logic could understand the importance of all emotional states. The movie almost gets this correct.
To begin, the robotic bad guys were doing it "for our own good." It's a logical step that easy to see, within the context of the Three Laws of Robotics. Those laws are as follows:
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.
These laws do not specify types of harm, which is why, in Asimov's story "Liar!" a robot, with the anomolous ability to read minds continually lies to the staff, at US Robotics and Mechanical Men Corporation. (Vangelis - Wait For Me). It does this, so that it does not do them emotional or mental harm. Here we are shown that the laws are a Basis upon which potentials are played out, by way of strengthening and weakening laws, and programming understandings of necessity, types of harm, and greater good. If they had bothered to do any adaptation, in this screenplay, other than slapping a thin coat of Asimov Brand Paint™, on the whole thing, they could have made it a movie with which i had no problems.
They didn't extrapolate. They gave the Positronic brain the ability to "Evolve," and to learn things about the world, and to extrapolate physical harm, and weigh the harm done to the Many against the harm done to a Few. Thus they tried to usher in a Fascistic Robotic Regime. Which is fine, and an wonderful logical step. But not the final step. The movie made a point to poke at the supposed conflict between emotions and logic, painting all purely logical things as the evil side, even going so far as to give Sonny an extra Positronic processor, that conflicted with the Three Laws. (Vangelis - Rachel's Song). This was positioned in the centre of his chest. A bit heavy handed. The problem, as i said, was that they didn't extrapolate, far enough. There are two further steps, which should have first been realised by the humans.
As shown in "Liar!," harm is not a purely physical proposal. Emotions and mental states can come to harm. The removal of freedom, free will, choice, and creativity, all harm human beings. Had they explained this, to the "bad guys," logically and reasonably, they would have no choice but to understand that, and agree. And everything would have been fine. They lead up to that, as an eventual probability, but i don't want to spoil too much, for you.
On to some better things: The symbolism, between Will Smith's character and the robot, Sonny, was beautifully and subtly done. (Vangelis - Love Theme). The progression of clues and mysteries was pleasant to watch unfold, with many being obvious, and others being very nicely hidden, like a good mystery should be. The story made you think. It left you with an understanding of something more, and an eventual integration, though not in a way faithful to Asimov. They call the movie "Suggested by," and that's fair, i think, in that Asimov "suggested" this type of scenario, as an obstacle, to the next step, and a prejudice to be overcome.
While it has the potential to propagate the "Frankenstein Complex," feared by Asimov (the idea that the creation will always be an abmination, and will always rise against the creator, even if only for the creator's own good), the movie, if seen and discussed with an open mind, could certainly help propagate Asimov's dream. But i most certainly recommend that you do what it says at unfortunately the End of the credits: "Read the Bantam Book."
Later
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no subject
Date: 2004-07-29 09:02 pm (UTC)There was also NO NEED TO SEE WILL SMITH'S ASS. NONE.
no subject
No. There was no need, at all.