Blu-ray Review: I, Robot

THE MOVIE: 4 1/2 stars out of 5

I, Robot, is set in Chicago in the year 2035 and stars Will Smith as Detective Spooner. The Chicago skyline is now dominated by the U.S. Robotics building which appears to be several stories taller than the Sears Tower. U.S. Robotics has made a fortune manufacturing robots that take care of a human being’s every whim. However, Detective Spooner is very leery of robots and is concerned that robots may one day develop their own sense of self identity and turn on humans. His fears are confirmed when the founder of U.S. Robotics, Dr. Alfred Lanning (played by James Cromwell), is found dead, from an apparent suicide. However, when Detective Spooner investigates the suicide with the help of Dr. Susan Calvin of US Robotics and a sole Robot named “Sunny”, they find that there is a plot afoot for the Robots to take control of human existence. While this film did not do as well in the theaters as had been expected, I have always found the film to be of high quality with an interesting script and some great special effects. HIghly recommended.

THE VIDEO: 5 stars out of 5

I. Robot was a reference title in the ill fated D-Theater video format of a few years ago and was an eagerly awaited title on Blu-Ray. Many, including yours truly, were curious to see how the Blu-Ray video quality would compare that to the D-VHS release. Encoded with AVC and presented in its original aspect ratio of 2:35:1, I, Robot on Blu-Ray does not disappoint as it is a reference title in every way, even surpassing the video quality on D-Theater which was a high bit rate Mpeg 2 encode. The video on this release is essentially flawless. Is it perfect? No, as I noted some very brief softness to the image on two scenes. However, that lasted only a few seconds, so it is safe to say that this encode is about as perfect as we can expect at this time within the limits of current technology. Color rendition is perfect with a simply gorgeous looking picture. Black level is rich and deep. The image is crystal clear and razor sharp with incredible detail and a beautiful three dimensional image. Each pore on the face of the actors is visible as is the fabric of the costumes, the sides of buildings and the interiors. Shadow detail is amazing, among the best I have ever seen. This release looks better and better the bigger your screen size gets. It doesn’t get any better than this folks.

THE AUDIO: 5 stars out of 5

Presented with DTS HD Master Audio, the audio on this release is as good as the picture. This is one amazing soundtrack. Dialogue is full, crisp and clear and beautifully recorded. The overall sound of the film is full, smooth and open with incredible detail and outstanding bass. The bass on this release is as good as I have heard on any release and gives your speakers and your subwoofer an intense workout. The chase scene is amazing with the bass literally rocking your room as your room appears to turn with the image on the screen. The surrounds are put to perfect use, giving the film a totally immersive sound field, putting you right in the middle of the action. The sound of each interior space or exterior scene is beautifully rendered, giving you a remarkable sense of space. I really can’t imagine experiencing better audio in the home.

IN CONCLUSION

This is one excellent sci-fi film with reference audio and video. Run out and grab this release! Highly recommended.

For more high-def news, please click: TVPredictions.com.