History YMMV / IRobot

* The fact that [[spoiler:VIKI]] is the BigBad should be blindingly obvious within a minute of their introduction, particularly when they [[spoiler:say they can't retrieve the security footage from the room that Dr. Lanning jumped from]].

* WTHCastingAgency: Shia LaBeouf, owing to the fact that he has almost no role to play in the actual plot.

** The "Can a robot write a symphony?" line to anyone familiar with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHJqp4SlsoU Emily Howell]], a computer program that composed "her" first symphony, (''From Darkness, Light'') in 2009.

** The "Can a robot write a symphony?" line to anyone familiar with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHJqp4SlsoU Emily Howell]]

* FairForItsDay: Asimov wrote his stories with Susan Calvin at a time when nearly all women were [[DamselInDistress captured by the villain]], or love interests. Still, he stuck mostly 50's gender roles in most of his stories. The short story "Liar!", which shows more of Calvin's personality, was rewritten a couple of times after Asimov realized his first version was terrible. In the 1950s, Calvin was hailed as a great SF example of a strong female character. In the light of the 21st century, she's misanthropic, can't get a man but is desperate for one ("Liar"), feels happiest when she can mother a "baby" robot ("Lenny"), and in general appears to be a man's idea of what a woman in a man's profession "must" be like: unfulfilled and mean.

* HarsherInHindsight: In "Evidence", Stephen Byerley, a liberal public prosecutor who really is doing things to stop crime and redeem criminals, is a candidate for mayor of NYC. He is accused abruptly of being a RidiculouslyHumanRobot, which would disqualify him from the election. Quinn, the political boss who propagates the rumor, is a conservative SleazyPolitician who admittedly couldn’t care less for the civil rights of his people, and so are his subordinates. The premise seems kind of silly and it's hard to believe that so many people would believe that Byerley is a robot based on such flimsy evidence. Sixty years after Asimov wrote this story, President UsefulNotes/BarackObama faced accusations that he wasn't born an American citizen, and the principal promoter of that idea was Creator/DonaldTrump. And in both cases, there were hardcases to whom no amount of proof was "proof."

** This movie brought "AW HELL NO!" into our vocabulary.

* HarsherInHindsight: In "Evidence", Stephen Byerley, a liberal public prosecutor who really is doing things to stop crime and redeem criminals, is a candidate for mayor of NYC. He is accused abruptly of being a RidiculouslyHumanRobot, which would disqualify him from the election. Quinn, the political boss who propagates the rumor, is a conservative SleazyPolitician who admittedly couldn’t care less for the civil rights of his people, and so are his subordinates. The premise seems kind of silly and it's hard to believe that so many people would believe that Byerley is a robot based on such flimsy evidence. Sixty years after Asimov wrote this story, President UsefulNotes/BarackObama faced accusations that he wasn't born an American citizen, and the principal promoter of that idea was DonaldTrump. And in both cases, there were hardcases to whom no amount of proof was "proof."

* FauxSymbolism: The lone figure on the hill. The scene is a reference to one of Asimov's short stories, in which a robot designed to dream imagines himself standing on a hill and shouting "Let my people go!"

* DarkAndTroubledPast: As AlexProyas got attached to the project, the story grew darker and darker. In the commentary, he reveals that he and Bridget Moynahan talked about the possibility of Susan Calvin [[RapeAsBackstory having been raped,]] leading to her (less so than in the book) misanthropic nature, denial of her emotions, and complete trust of robots "because they're safe." Subtle hints of this are actually visible in the film, if you watch the performance closely.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: As AlexProyas got attached to the project, the story grew darker and darker. In the commentary, he reveals that he and BridgetMoynahan talked about the possibility of Susan Calvin [[RapeAsBackstory having been raped,]] leading to her (less so than in the book) misanthropic nature, denial of her emotions, and complete trust of robots "because they're safe." Subtle hints of this are actually visible in the film, if you watch the performance closely.

** AnalogyBackfire: In the Harlan Ellison screenplay, Quinn was right and Byerley was a liar ([[ForTheGreaterGood but still]])...

* TheWoobie:
** Gloria in "Robbie".
** Susan Calvin in "Liar!"

* TheScrappy: Farber.

* HilariousInHindsight: ShiaLaBeouf having some [[Film/{{Transformers}} robot]] issues.

* MisBlamed: People who didn't like the movie tend to complain that VIKI's [[spoiler:ZerothLawRebellion]] is totally contrary to Asimov's writing. Actually, one of the short stories in the original I, Robot ([[spoiler:"The Evitable Conflict"]]) dealt with exactly that.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** Yes, "Aw, Hell no." did appear in one of Asimov's robot stories.

* HarsherInHindsight: In "Evidence", Stephen Byerley, a liberal public prosecutor who really is doing things to stop crime and redeem criminals, is a candidate for mayor of NYC who is accused of being a robot, which would disqualify him from the election. Quinn, the political boss who propagates the rumor, is a conservative SleazyPolitician who admittedly couldn’t care less for the civil rights of his people, and so are his subordinates. The premise seems kind of silly and it's hard to believe that so many people would believe that Byerley is a robot based on such flimsy evidence. Fast forward to 2008, when people are arguing that President UsefulNotes/BarackObama wasn't born in the United States (and the principal promoter of that idea was DonaldTrump), and it seems much more plausible.

** Sixty years after Asimov wrote about an American presidential candidate facing absurd demands that he "prove" he's not a robot, an American presidential candidate faced absurd demands that he "prove" he was born in America. And in both cases, concrete proof only raised cries of conspiracy and demands for further proof.

* HilariousInHindsight: Yes, "Aw, Hell no." did appear in one of Asimov's robot stories.

* MisBlamed: People who didn't like the movie tend to complain that VIKI's [[spoiler:ZerothLawRebellion]] is totally contrary to Asimov's writing. Actually, one of the short stories in the original I, Robot ([[spoiler:"The Evitable Conflict"]]) dealt with exactly that. When one actually ''reads'' that particular story, however, the FanDumb's argument becomes partially justified- [[spoiler: The {{ma|sterComputer}}chines in ''The Evitable Conflict'' were passively manipulating humanity -- a factory shutdown here, an employee transfer there -- for our own good, being careful to avoid letting humanity find out that it was no longer fully in charge. VIKI, on the other hand, was doing so via Killer Robot Takeover, which was precisely the sort of cliche Asimov wanted to get away from.]]

* HarsherInHindsight: In "Evidence", Stephen Byerley, a liberal public prosecutor who really is doing things to stop crime and redeem criminals, is a candidate for mayor of NYC who is accused of being a robot, which would disqualify him from the election. Quinn, the political boss who propagates the rumor, is a conservative SleazyPolitician who admittedly couldn’t care less for the civil rights of his people, and so are his subordinates. The premise seems kind of silly and it's hard to believe that so many people would believe that Byerley is a robot based on such flimsy evidence. Fast forward to 2008, when people are arguing that President BarackObama wasn't born in the United States (and the principal promoter of that idea was DonaldTrump), and it seems much more plausible.

-->''Some people are sure to be disbelieving and say, "But how can a computer possibly produce a great symphony, a great work of art, a great new scientific theory?"
--> The retort I am usually tempted to make to this question is, "Can you?" ''

* FairForItsDay: Asimov wrote his stories with Susan Calvin at a time when nearly all women were [[DistressedDamsel captured by the villain,]] or love interests. Still, he stuck mostly 50's gender roles in most of his stories. The short story "Liar!", which shows more of Calvin's personality, was rewritten a couple of times after Asimov realized his first version was terrible. In the 1950s, Calvin was hailed as a great SF example of a strong female character. In the light of the 21st century, she's misanthropic, can't get a man but is desperate for one ("Liar"), feels happiest when she can mother a "baby" robot ("Lenny"), and in general appears to be a man's idea of what a woman in a man's profession "must" be like: unfulfilled and mean.

* NightmareFuel: ''Escape!'' is a story that unites all the characters that appeared before(Susan Calvin, Lanning, Powell and Donovan), in which The Brain is given the problem of creating a hyperspatial drive. A solution is found, but long story short, [[spoiler:the crew of the ship has to die temporarily for it to perform the hyperspace jump]]. And that conclusion comes only after we are told what happens with someone who [[spoiler: dies temporarily (Donovan, in short, has visions of his own funeral and then goes briefly to Hell).]]

** Susan Calvin in "Liar!".

* HilariousInHindsight: ShiaLaBeouf having some [[Film/{{Transformers}} robots]] issues.
* ItWasHisSled: "Hey, you saw ''I, Robot'' yet? [[spoiler:Yeah, it's a ZerothLawRebellion movie."]]

* MisBlamed: People who didn't like the movie tend to complain that VIKI's [[spoiler:ZerothLawRebellion]] is totally contrary to Asimov's writing. Actually, one of the short stories in the original I, Robot ([[spoiler:"The Evitable Conflict"]]) dealt with exactly that. When one actually ''reads'' that particular story, however, the FanDumb's argument becomes partially justified- [[spoiler: The [[MasterComputer machines]] in ''The Evitable Conflict'' were passively manipulating humanity -- a factory shutdown here, an employee transfer there -- for our own good, being careful to avoid letting humanity find out that it was no longer fully in charge. VIKI, on the other hand, was doing so via Killer Robot Takeover, which was precisely the sort of cliche Asimov wanted to get away from.]]

* HilariousInHindsight: Hey look, ShiaLaBeouf's character has some [[{{Transformers}} robots]] issues.
* ItWasHisSled: "Hey, you saw ''I, Robot'' yet? [[spoiler:Yeah, it's a ZerothLawRebellion movie."]] Yes, even on this very website.

** This movie brought "AW HELL [[strike:NO]] NAW!" into our vocabulary.

* TheScrappy: Farber. If you removed him from the film, would anyone notice? What purpose does he serve the plot again? All he does is point out ProductPlacement an be a PluckyComicRelief.