FINCH

Finch (Tom Hanks), an aging robotics is one of the survivors after a cataclysmic solar flare that has almost wiped out the entire planet. UV radiation destroys crops and fries every living thing. He has been living in an underground bunker for over a decade with a dog named Goodyear.

Finch realizes that he is dying and he wants someone to look after Goodyear once he’s gone, so he builds a robot which he later calls Jeff. But before he can complete the robot, he is forced to leave the bunker by multiple tornadoes which will hit this location within 24 hours. The computer predicts a superstorm may last approximately 40 days. With only 72% of data uploaded into the robot’s, Finch has no choice but to rely on machine learning AI to fill the missing part.

The film plays with Isaac Asimov’s The Three Laws of Robotics by adding the fourth directive to protect the dog, which makes sense because the dog and the robot are supposed to be the main characters of the film.

The Three Laws of Robotics (1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. (2) A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. (3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Fourth directive: In Finch’s absence, robot must protect the welfare of dog. This directive supersedes all other directives.

Finch decides to head west to San Francisco, hopefully to find a place to stay a while. He chooses to travel during daytime because UV radiation can be measured and predictable, he is more afraid of other human. Finch tries to teach Jeff as quick as he possibly can on their road trip, but he also grows impatient with Jeff’s mistakes.

The film is entertaining to watch. I do enjoy Jeff’s development from the very first time he starts to communicate by nodding his head. He keeps improving on every aspect along the way. And the dog is super cute from the beginning to the end. The only problem is the screenplay which is inconsistent and sometimes feels illogical especially in Tom Hanks’ part.

FINCH was scheduled to release in cinemas on October 2, 2020 with its original title BIOS. But due to COVID-19 pandemic, the film was postponed and later removed from theatrical release. In May 2021, the film has been renamed to FINCH, and Apple TV+ acquired the rights for a release on November 5, 2021.