The criticism leveled at most action movies is that they lack a good plot.

John Woo for instance, can put action sequences together as well as any action director around - but he struggles to tell a good story.

Alex Proyas, however, has an ace up his sleeve.

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot is a collection of short stories relating to the world of robots in the future. It's a cerebral tale of how robots would function in society, and most importantly, how the three rules used to govern them could come unstuck in the right circumstances.

The plot of the book charts 70-odd years, whereas the film is set solely in 2035, when robots are humans' trusted companions, programmed for anything from collecting garbage to walking the dog and looking after children.

When a leading robotics scientist commits suicide on the eve of his company's distribution of their new model, Will Smith's Detective Spooner – a cop that hates and mistrusts robots anyway – senses that something is awry.

Essentially it's a detective story with a good deal of action thrown in for good measure.

And even though it's independent of Asimov's book, screenwriter Jeff Vintar delves into the novel for inspiration, using the occasional theory and set-piece to excellent effect.

Added to which, there's a number of high-octane action sequences that Alex Proyas handles with such skill that it belies the fact that it's his first real big-budget gig.

And unlike his previous efforts, such as The Crow or Dark City, Proyas has shunned the dark and moody atmospherics for a style highly reminiscent of Spielberg's in Minority Report.

There are a couple of minor complaints – Bridget Moynahan's performance, Spooner's pointless street kid friend and some shameless product placement – but thanks to the strength of the story, these elements won't stick too firmly in the mind.

Instead, sit back and enjoy an action flick with a brain.

Richard Phippen