Will Smith saves the world yet again in director Alex Proyas' I, Robot, "a science fiction blockbuster with brains and brawn". Based on a book of short stories by Isaac Asimov, this hi-tech detective story, about a technophobic cop hunting down a murderous machine, pressed the right buttons for critics and audiences alike. It's available to buy on single disc DVD or as a two-disc Collector's Edition.

Going Green

"I can't remember the last time I was on a set that wasn't green," notes Big Willie Smith in a purely mechanical 'Making Of' featurette on Disc One. Sadly he doesn't participate in any of three audio commentaries, leaving Proyas and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman to churn out a rather dry analysis of Asimov's Three Laws Of Robotics and how these play into the story's central themes of human morality. An alternative track by what seems to be the entire production crew is frankly dizzying, while a third commentary by composer Marco Beltrami is strictly for baton-waving enthusiasts.

Thankfully, Disc Two (available as part of the Collector's Edition) raises the game with an abundance of fascinating extras. Best of all is the Day Out Of Days production diaries, packed with reams of behind-the-scenes footage exposing the raw mechanics of key stunt sequences. There're a few laughs too as Alan Tudyk gears up to shoot a scene inside a wind tunnel. The problem? The caterers served bean burritos for dinner. "It must be some kind of sick joke," he barks, before going off to find some peppermint oil to dab in his nostrils.

The Dream Machine

Among five detailed featurettes exploring CGI And Design, Proyas explains how his use of digital jiggery-pokery "moves away from being a purely technical exercise and becomes more about character and emotion." Production designer Mark Tatopoulos is also on hand to guide you through the evolution of the film's central robotic character Sonny from initial concept art, to CG design and the use of motion-capture technology to embed Tudyk's facial expressions. Meanwhile 'movement coach' Paul Mercurio describes how he based the robots' carriage on the idea of "a dancing Tai Chi master". Complementing this nuts-and-bolts investigation, Filmmakers Toolbox lays out 35 effects scenes in varying stages of production.

The legacy of sci-fi scribe Isaac Asimov is explored in Three Laws Safe, which includes an edifying one-on-one with Goldsman. "I met him at a Star Trek convention," he boasts, before going on to discuss the author's philosophy of artificial intelligence. Conversely, Asimov's daughters give him a more human face, describing a funny episode where silly old dad mistook a low-flying Goodyear blimp for an alien spacecraft. Hey, it could happen!

If watching I, Robot sparked similar fears about the growing dominance of technology then Sentient Machines will scare the pants off you. Eggheads from MIT speculate about the role of machines in our not-to-distant future - from ironing your socks to world domination. It's compulsive viewing, but you may want to unplug your microwave afterwards.

Completing this package are four deleted and extended scenes, most notably the original ending as penned by Goldsman. If you loved I, Robot, this Collector's Edition is definitely the intelligent choice.

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