A Gaggle of Robot Movies

Posted 6 May 2003 at 22:27 UTC by The Swirling Brain

I haven't seen X-Men 2 yet, but I heard it was good. But, what I'm really waiting for is the robot movies! Here's a couple that are coming up soon:

• The Matrix Reloaded (05/15/2003) (see also imdb)
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (7/2/2003) (see also imdb)

Ok, so I'll be needing find a baby sitter soon so I can go out. Perhaps if I can talk my boss/wife into letting me watch these I'll try to write a review.

Speaking of robot movies, I searched around and found these other robot movies that are also coming out soon or in the works:

• The Matrix Revolutions (11/11/2003) - Matrix 3 (see also imdb)
• Terminator 4 (TBD) - With Arnold Swartzenegger
• I, Robot (7/2/2004) - With Will Smith (will that ruin it?) (see also imdb)
• Mech Warrior (TBD)
• Metropolis (TBD) - Remake of B/W movie?
• Robocop 4 (TBD) - Ugg
• StarTrek 11 (TBD) Brent Spiner - more Stupid Data?
• Star Wars III (5/25/2005) - our old friends r2d2 & c3p0 (see also imdb)
• Tron 2.0 (TBD) - with Jeff Bridges
• Westworld (TBD) - remake With Arnold Swartzenegger

Anyone know of any other robot movies that I may have missed? Anyone wonder what a 60 year old is doing playing the part of Terminator? Anyone wonder if Will Smith can make a good robot? I'm looking forward to seeing these great robot movies!

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I, Robot, posted 6 May 2003 at 22:59 UTC by steve » (Master)

We did a story on I, Robot a while back. Will Smith will play a cop fighting killer robots run amuck. It's completely unrelated to Asimov's story - they just licensed the title and the names of a couple of characters. If Susan Calvin shows up at all, she'll probably just be a love interest for Will Smith. Having I, Robot screwed up by Hollywood is kind of sad, because the Susan Calvin stories have been sited as an important influence by lots of female scientists and engineers, not to mention the importance of the three laws of robotics on which the stories are based.

Positive Light, posted 6 May 2003 at 23:30 UTC by The Swirling Brain » (Master)

I guess the reason why I liked Star Wars so much is that they portray at least some of the robots in a positive light. Most movies seem to portray robots as senseless killing machines so as to hero-ize and messiah-ize a humanity savior. Do we really need more movies like that? I guess they do sell tickets, and destroying robots is more politically correct than killing a bunch of humans. I look forward to when more movies branch out and come up with other themes. Believe it or not, I actually liked AI and Bicentennial man even if my wife did fall asleep on both of them. I also liked the Forbidden Planet, and Blade Runner and she didn't. I guess my brain swirls differently than hers.

Here's a couple, posted 7 May 2003 at 14:58 UTC by earlwb » (Master)

Forbidden Planet along with Lost in Space (TV series)which gave us the ever famous Robbie the Robot. Then of course the New Lost In Space which sorta had a new Robbie like robot introduced along with the big mean robot suckers.

Forbidden Planet seems to have overused the Therimen Musisal Instrument in the music effects. But I think they had really good special effects for a 50's SCIFI movie.

Andromeda has some great giant Combat robots in it, but the ship's Avatar Romie is great too.

The classic BattleStar Galactica has the famous Cylons trying to subjugate the humans and other alien species.

That recent Mars movie, I forget the title at the moment, had that dog like robot go feral and turn into a combat gurrilla robot on them. That was a really neat robot I think.

Oh yeah don't forget the Aliens series, posted 7 May 2003 at 15:03 UTC by earlwb » (Master)

The Aliens series of movies had the lifelike Androids that were good. But I like the semi-autonomous heavy work robot that Segorne Weaver used in the second movie agains the Alien Queen.

Westworld? Cool.. , posted 10 May 2003 at 15:37 UTC by Jhoffa_ » (Journeyer)

I never heard of "Westworld" but it sounds like a neat concept..

I anticipate the Swartzenegger remake. sounds like theres real potential here, imo. Especially with recent advances in special effects & computer graphics.

Never heard of Westworld!?, posted 10 May 2003 at 22:22 UTC by steve » (Master)

What about the sequel, Futureworld? I'm feeling old... :-/

LOL! , posted 11 May 2003 at 02:08 UTC by Jhoffa_ » (Journeyer)

Don't feel pregnant.. I am renown for my total and complete movie un-savvyness.

I think I am the only person on planet earth who hasn't seen either Jurassic Park (any of them) or Titanic either.