With the remake of ‘Robocop’ due to be released next year and with the first trailer officially released recently, there will be lots of expectations that will follow the remake until its release. Will it be successful? Will it be as good as the original? Will they kill an executive named ‘Kenny’ in a brutal fashion with ED-209?
We are just going to have to wait and see what the remake holds when it is released next year. Until then, I am going to review the original ‘Robocop’ that was directed by Paul Verhoeven (‘Total Recall’ and ‘Starship Troopers’) and with Peter Weller playing the “half man, half machine, all cop”.
‘Robocop’ graced the silver screen back in 1987 with its ultra-violence and social commentary that is provided through the use of news reports and adverts throughout the film. Since the release, it spawned two sequels in 1990 and 1993 and a remake is due to be released next year, a TV series, comic series and even a video game crossover with ‘The Terminator’.
In the near future, Detroit City is entering bankruptcy and is overrun with crime and the Police Force cannot handle the continue work load. The City enter a contract with Omni Consumer Products (OCP) to allow them to control and run the Police Force with future plans to demolish ‘Old Detroit’ and create a Utopian city known as ‘Delta City’.
Senior President, ‘Dick Jones’ (Ronny Cox) demonstrates the latest force in law enforcement to combat the continuing rise of crime in Old Detroit, an officer who does not need to sleep, eat, drink and will follow the rules to the book, the Enforcement Droid series 209 (ED-209). During the initial demonstration, ED-209 malfunctions and brutally kills an executive. With the construction of Delta City due to commence in the coming months, the OCP Chairman (Dan O’Herlihy) advances an alternative put forward by a young and eager executive named ‘Bob Morton’ (Miguel Ferrer) and calls his proposed cyborg ‘Robocop’.
Veteran police officer, ‘Alex Murphy’ (Peter Weller), is transferred to a new precinct within Old Detroit and partnered up with feisty young cop, ‘Anne Lewis’ (Nancy Allen). On their first patrol, they track down crime boss, ‘Clarence Boddicker’ (Kurtwood Smith) and chase into a steel mill in the outskirts of Old Detroit. Murphy and Lewis split up to try and find the gang but Lewis is knocked unconscious by one gang member and Murphy finds another. Before he can arrest him, the rest of the group arrive and corner him. Murphy is brutally murdered by the gang by being shot at point blank range with shotguns and finally executed with a single bullet to the head.
Murphy is taken to the hospital where he is pronounced dead. OCP decide to harvest the body of Alex Murphy and transform him into the first Robocop.
With its brutal scenes, excellent and simple plot, great acting from the cast and depiction of an overrun Detroit City with crime and the corrupt ‘OCP’ make this film a highly regarded film in the action and science fiction genres.
Peter Weller as the cyborg hero, Robocop, is done so well. His portrayal of a machine is spot on as his robotic movements in his steps, movements with his upper bodies are executed perfectly to resemble that of a machine. He purposely took mime lessons to perfect the movements of Robocop. The mechanical voice he provides as well throughout the film add to the belief that Murphy truly has been transformed into a machine.
The character of the evil Clarence Boddicker is perfect by Kurtwood Smith. His look as a normal guy who has turned to crime and has become the biggest cop killer in Old Detroit is spot on. You fear him because of his presence, he walks into a room and you know that the worst is coming. He doesn’t need to shout to show his authority over the rest of his gang. His run down outfit fits the tone of the film as well showing that he is suffering like the rest of the city, but he is still the biggest crime boss in Old Detroit.
Robocop is normally remembered for its brutal and ultra-violence and certainly not for the weak hearted. Scenes of brutal murders and killings are the main ingredient for this film and it carries it throughout. The first brutal scene we are exposed to is the death of OCP Executive Mr Kinney (Kevin Page) at the hands of ED-209. The battle tank malfunctions in a demonstration and subsequently kills Kinney with its huge mounted guns. We see his body get torn apart by its bullets, blood flying everywhere and his flesh exploding because of the impact of the bullets.
The death of Murphy by Clarence Boddicker and his gang is also brutal. This is a very famous scene for fans of Robocop. Clarence pins Murphy down and says “You see, I have this problem. Cops don’t like me. So I don’t like cops”. He aims his shotgun at Murphy and blows his hand off! It literally explodes! He is then brutally shot at point blank range by the rest of the gang eventually losing a lot of blood and his entire right arm before being executed with a bullet to the head. The makeup effects and effects of Murphy’s body being ripped to pieces by each shot makes you fear for Murphy’s well-being and you know that this is the beginning of the end for him. It’s frightening at how brutal the film is.
The social commentary within the film is a perfect analysis of how things are in the future. The news reports updating you of minor sub plot developments such as the mentioning of Clarence Boddicker and his latest cop murder before Murphy and explaining the decay of American where poverty, crime and unemployment run riot. Even with adverts for products that the average man can’t afford such as the 6000 SUX and artificial heart transplants.
Families bonding over a game of “Nuke Em” where the object is you try and nuke your opponent so you are the last nation standing, showing the privatization of America through the conglomerate OCP and their corruption by hiring a man such as Clarence Boddicker to reign fear over Old Detroit and the plans to bring drugs, crime and prostitution to Delta City and the decay of American values shown throughout the film such as the death of Murphy who is shown to be a good father, loving husband and a man who works by the book.
The film has many different levels that can be analysed and reviewed, but the main points that carry the film is its use of ultra-violence, the acting, direction from Verhoeven where he shows us the decay of America, privatization, poverty, Murphy’s identity and who he is. Is he Robocop or is he Alex Murphy? The film has many different factors that make it memorable from the opening scene with the news reports to the final moments where Robocop saves the day. It is a triumph in film making and an excellent critique of a dystopia world where crime is everywhere and how the world is rotting into a point of decadence where it seems impossible to escape.
It’s a popular film and as mentioned above has spawned 2 sequels, a TV series, comic series, video games, merchandise and a crossover with The Terminator. With the remake due to be released next year, it will be very hard for it to live up to the expectation, brutality and fame that this film has. But we shall see what happens in the next 6 months with more trailers due to be released and hype surrounding the famous half man, half machine and all cop. It will be interesting to see what they do with him.
The Filmmakers Factory 