Mix James Cameron’s “The Terminator,” with Stephen Spielberg’s “A.I.” and the result would be, “I, Robot,” the new film from Alex Proyas, director of “The Crow.” Like most action/sci-fi movies today, this film is pure visual sugar. It lacks, however, engaging characters and a decent script.

Will Smith, everyone’s favorite alien-blasting, non-swearing, all-American rapper, stars as Spooner, a detective with a disturbing past. The year is 2035, and robots have become common tools for everyone. The robots obey the humans, and the humans love their mechanical butlers.

Spooner, who has an uncommon dislike for the robots, obsesses over catching a robot in the act of a crime, but the robots seem perfect until one of them is accused of murdering its creator. A mystery unfolds as the action begins.

Special effects have become so impressive that it’s hard to tell what’s done on a computer and what’s not. The robot effects in “I, Robot,” are, in a word, cool. But, the overwhelming amount of action and fast camera moves make this film a slight headache to watch.

Based on stories written by Asaic Asimov, “I Robot,” attempts to weave philosophical questions of consciousness into its summer blockbuster plot with varied degrees of success. If a robot-with-a-soul movie is what one craves, one should rent, “Short Circuit,” or “A.I.” If robot warfare sounds more appealing, try “Terminator,” 1, 2, or 3. With Will Smith’s name on the marquee, “I Robot,” would be better titled, “The Softer Side of Terminator.”

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Joshua King has studied at Eastern Oregon University and at Lane Community College.