Total Recall: Best Movie Robots
We count down our favorite movie mechanoids.
This week's release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen marks the return of the famous "robots in disguise" to the big screen. That got us at RT thinking about movie robots, and specifically, what would be the best robot to actually own? So we've put together a pretty big list of the best robots in movie history.
A quick note on our methodology; for the most part, we're sticking to movie robots, so TV stars like Twiki that never made the jump to the big screen are left in the scrap pile. And we've ranked this list by a very subjective measurement we call "awesomeness," which is combination of fame, utility, physical appearance, and how great it would be to have one of these 'bots in your possession. So without further ado, let's get mechanical!
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50. Box
Box is pretty handy; running a fish farm means he can supply a whole city with food, but he still finds time to dispose of pesky teenagers.
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49. David
Some robots are shiny, some are fearsome, some have wheels, and some, like David, are basically teddy bears. David's whole purpose is to actually feel love for an owner, which is both groundbreaking and extremely creepy.
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48. Hector
Part of the Demi-God series, Hector has the potential to render a space station crew obsolete. Although it's unfortunate that his reprogramming results in Hector deciding that "obsolete" equals "needs to die."
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47. D.A.R.Y.L. (Data-Analysing Robot Youth Lifeform)
Another example of the "boy robot," D.A.R.Y.L. beats David from A.I. by being able to drive a car and fly a plane, important skills he learned from playing video games.
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46. Huey, Dewey, and Louie
These agrobots were excellent gardners, and (more importantly) served as the primary visual influence on the legendary R2-D2. Think of them as R2's long-lost uncles.
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45. U.S. Robotics model NS-5 "Sonny"
The NS-5s are pretty advanced, and they look very slick (not unlike what you might see in a Bjork video). Sadly, the entire model line loses points because of an unfortunate tendency to kill humans as part of an effort to "protect" us from ourselves. They also lose points for being in a Rotten adaptation of one of sci-fi master Isaac Asimov's seminal works.
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44. NDR-113 "Andrew"
Andrew is another Asimov creation, a household servant android that develops a personality and eventually desires to become human. The Pinocchio trope (the desire to become a "real" person) is something that comes up a lot in robot stories, and Asmiov's original material won a Hugo award. But like Sonny, Andrew loses points for being in a Rotten adaptation, although we won't penalize him for deciding to look like Robin Williams.
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43. Stepford Wives
This is what happens when scientists and technicians decide that they want perfect, traditional wives, free of all that pesky Women's Lib nonsense. Fembots might seem like a good idea, but they're no replacement for a real, adult relationship.
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42. Johnny Cab
A self-driving car! With a snappy personality! How awesome is that? Johnny's got a lot of potential, but ultimately falls short of greatness; he's installed in a pretty weak car, he's not much of a getaway driver, and leaving without paying means he'll explode.
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41. Cylon Centurions
Yes, they're basically Stormtrooper knockoffs. Yes, they were on TV. But there was a theatrical release of Battlestar Galactica. And even though they're basically cannon fodder, slick chrome armor and cool voices (the pinnacle of '70s audio technology) definitely earn a place on this list.
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Castor Troy on 06-23-2009 08:49 AM
Lol I love this list.