To borrow an expression, crime has an even newer enemy…
Director Paul Verhoeven’s original ROBOCOP was quite the subversive and satiric spectacle back in 1987. It even fostered two sequels which were—-well let’s just say less than remarkable.
This week ROBOCOP reboots for a new generation of moviegoers and crime has a new enemy.
The setting is in the near future 2028 and multi-national conglom OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Their drones already bringing in millions of dollars from overseas policing operations.
“This is the future of American justice.”
Problem is slick CEO Michael Keaton has been unable to crack the American market which, of course, would mean billions to OmniCorp.
His in-house development team led by top scientist Gary Oldman is furiously improving the drones and robots to convince an apprehensive Congress that they would also function well on American streets.
Meanwhile PR weasel Jay Baruchel is desperately trying to find convincing ways to humanize these machines—something the boys in Washington insist on.
The perfect opportunity presents itself when Detroit cop Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is critically injured by a car bomb when trying to bust up a gun smuggling operation.
It’s an opportunity Keaton didn’t count on!
So he has OmniCorp—shall we say—rebuild the officer with what’s left of his body parts, turning him effectively into part man—part machine.
What Keaton also DIDN’T count on was that the man left inside the robotic machine is still pursuing justice.
All that with updated and improved special effects and bookended by a talking head TV show called The Novak Element, anchored by Pat Novak played WAY over the top by Samuel L. Jackson.
Guess they thought they were spoofing Bill O’Reilly and Fox News—you think?
So what did I make of the reboot?
Frankly it turned out far smarter and better than I’d expected. A worthy semi tongue-in-cheek trip into the troublesome and violent state of affairs in the near future.
It all ends with the song “I fought the law and the law won'” playing under the end credits.
As for my 13 year old grandson Gage Poessiger who attended the screening with me, he liked it a ton.
The just under two hour long, PG-13 rated ROBOCOP falls somewhere between a B- and a C+ score. YOU be the judge!
(Reviewed at AMC 30, Olathe)
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on NewsRadio KMBZ FM + AM.
i really liked the original so was interested in how this reboot turned out. always fearful, for lack of a better word, about reboots being worse than the original. thought that too about Star Trek at first, which i think was done very, very well.
I liked the trailer, all the bad guys are white.
I love Detroit and this movie looks like a winner.
I’d buy that for a dollar!!
Dammit!!! I needs my Robocop to be a hard ‘R’!!!
Cable watch!!
WHERE IS ROBOCOP WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
Police union warning people that Detroit is too dangerous to enter
by Rick Moran
Welcome to the post-apocalypse cityscape of Detroit – before the apocalypse happens.
CBS Detroit:
The men and women of the Detroit Police Department believe the city is too dangerous to enter, and they want citizens to know it.
Detroit Police Officer Association (DPOA) Attorney Donato Iorio said officers are holding the “Enter At Your Own Risk” rally at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in front of Comerica Park to remind the public that the officers are overworked, understaffed, and at times, fearful for their lives.
“Detroit is America’s most violent city, its homicide rate is the highest in the country and yet the Detroit Police Department is grossly understaffed,” Iorio told WWJ’s Kathryn Larson. “The DPOA believes that there is a war in Detroit, but there should be a war on crime, not a war on its officers.”
Iorio says the once 2,000 strong force is shrinking rapidly; since the start of summer, hundreds of officers have left the department.
“These are the men and women who we look to protect us… and police officers can’t protect you if they’re not there. Officers are leaving simply because they can’t afford to stay in Detroit and work 12 hour shifts for what they are getting paid… These police officers are beyond demoralized, these officers are leaving hand over fist because they can no longer afford to stay on the department and protect the public,” he said.
And that’s why Iorio cautions those who enter the city to be wary.
“WHERE IS ROBOCOP WHEN WE NEED HIM?”
Of course, this should be seen as something of a negotiating ploy by the union, but the truth isn’t far off. With fewer officers on the streets, criminals are acting with more and more impunity. And given the state of the city’s finances, this situation is not going to turn around anytime soon.
I suppose it’s time to redo that Chrysler commercial about Detroit being “back.”
Do they say “I’ll buy that for a dollar?” in the sequel?