When it comes to Robocop, everyone knows the name, the outfit and the big hand gun coming from the hip and with a lot of hype generated from the new one released this year, does it really live up to it’s original name? Lately new versions of “elder” films have been springing up all over the place and with the success of Total Recall (2012) starring Colin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale everyone was eager to see what director José Padilha has done with such an iconic film.
Synopsis
So the year is 2028 and robots are being used in battle grounds to implement military tactics and have proven to be a very reliable and effective force. However, Omnicorp want to bring this technology to the home front placing multiple robots around the city in order to control the supposed chaos that is stifling the modern world. Just like before the main protagonist Alex Murphy is a loving father, husband and a kick-ass cop , and exactly like before finds himself somewhat inhibited by the actions of the bad guys (don’t worry I wont spoil it there).
Expectations…
When I saw the first Robocop film, for me it was one of the first sci-fi action films I had ever seen and despite using a video player which always ceased to play after lots of use, I enjoyed every moment of this original storyline and futuristic action. So, you can only imagine my excitement when I prepared myself to watch the new release to see what they have done differently and what iconic parts of the film they left the same.
Also, the promotional material used, especially the poster with the suave gleam of Robocop’s suit, posing for the pistol shot it is understandable that my expectations of this film be high.
Bad bits?!
I will start with the bad bits as I do like to leave my reviews on a good note, and there were lots of amazing parts to the film so let’s analyse the not so great bits first. Okay, so as a fan of Robocop I was a bit disappointed when at the beginning the outfit was its traditional metal-like mix of silver and black, then changed to just black looking like something from an obscure Audi car commercial. This was a bit disappointing as everyone remembers Robocop with his traditional colours so the fact they changed this was a bit annoying as hey, we all like what we know and are used to right?!
Also something I cannot understand which only a true fan would understand, is in the original version of this film Alex Murphy was completely shot apart making only his organs and parts of his head let’s say, salvageable. But, in this version they decided to keep his hand in tact, which hey I am open to new things but it served no purpose in the story line and kind of made him look a bit odd. For most this would be considered adjustable, but I do fear for the die hard fans this was bit of a deal breaker.
Good Bits?! (and yes there are many)
In the original version I always remember Robocop being a bit immobile and slightly more cumbersome than I would have liked, which for me kind of made him a one man band when it came to taking on the bad guys. However, in this new film he seems to be very mobile and a lot more agile in an I Robot kind of way which made him seem a lot more exciting as opposed to being limited to just full frontal attack mode.
Also, the computer effects and imagery were pretty amazing which made me feel kind of guilty as being a loyal fan of the original versions I didn’t want to like this “new technology”. But the special effects are simply beautiful and helped the sci-fi element a lot and really made you believe in the story line as rather than naturally reject it.
However, the best thing for me was the ethical part. With new technology constantly advancing nowadays after watching this film I did think to myself “hey, this actually is a possibility and may even be possible for future generations” I personally very much like this about films, films that get you thinking about your own existence rather than be just for entertainment. Also, in the film the people face a difficult decision i.e. choosing to relinquish control to these robots that have been put in place to safeguard the human race. Something we know from watching many sci- fi films can be a scary decision! It also makes you think about the value of a human life, forcing us to think about the repercussions of some life threatening decisions, and the effects if were to give that control to something automated.
Conclusion
For me this was an all round good film, and the casting of the characters was particularly well done. For example, Gary Oldman (too many films to name) played an amazing role as Dr. Dennett Norton pulling us in furthermore to the story line and feeling more connected to the characters themselves as if they were real people we could relate too.
For die hard fans I fear this film may have been a bit of a disappointment as the things they did change could have potentially spoiled the film in the sci-fi genre. But if you want to see an old classic re-vamped I would definitely recommend you to see this film, the action sequences are good, the story is familiar and as a cinematic experience you are in for a treat.
If you wanna see a sneaky peaky of this film why not click the link below and see what you think of it, also for any requests don’t be afraid to use the contact form also below to get in contact.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INmtQXUXez8
M.Palk 