ROBOCOP is an intelligent science fiction thriller and social satire, one with class and style. The film, set in Old Detroit in the year 1991, stars Peter Weller as Murphy, a lieutenant on the city's police force. 1991's Detroit suffers from rampant crime and a police department run by a private contractor (Security Concepts Inc.) whose employees (the cops) are threatening to strike. To make matters worse, a savage group of cop-killers has been terrorizing the city. On Murphy's first day of duty, after his transfer from another precinct, these cop-killers brutally murder him by shooting off his limbs one by one. (Orion Pictures had to edit this extremely graphic scene in order to get an R rating from the M.P.A.A.)
After the emergency room staff at the hospital cannot save Murphy and declare him clinically dead, S.C.I. recruits his remains for their new "Robocop" program. Using the remains of Murphy's body as a foundation, their scientists build a cyborg, made of both flesh and metal. The cyborg (Robocop) is half human (Murphy) and half robot; the S.C.I. engineers have erased Murphy's memory and replaced it with a computer program (or so they think). With his lightning quick reflexes, immense strength, and impenetrable armor, S.C.I. envisions Robocop as an indestructible super-cop: the solution to Detroit's problems. The remainder of the plot follows Robocop's crime-foiling and vengeance on his murderers.
As a science fiction action-thriller, ROBOCOP is extremely effective. Dutch director Paul Verhoeven combines gritty action with suspense, shocking gore, and spectacular special effects. Several sequences in the film, such as the one in which Robocop employs his extremely precise aim to stop a rapist, are destined to become cult-classics. Because ROBOCOP is so visually and emotionally rousing, it demands to be seen on a large screen with an audience--in other words, in a movie theater.
Although the special effects and action are exciting, they do not by themselves set ROBOCOP apart from other films in the genre. Rather, ROBOCOP stands out for its accurate and biting satire of American society. The movie makes a mockery of The Star Wars Defense Initiative, terrorism, board games, and television news broadcasts with air-headed anchors. These news broadcasts, which are exceptionally clever, recur periodically throughout the movie and help to provide comic relief from the intense action and gore. The satire in ROBOCOP, however, is almost as frightening in its own way as the suspense and blood. 1990's America, as portrayed in the film, may seem far fetched but is in actuality (I think) only a slight exaggeration of the current state of American society. The humorous satire in Robocop is simultaneously credible and absurd. Verhoeven adroitly balances the satirical comedy with the gory action to create an entertaining and enlightening piece of science fiction/social commentary.
Unfortunately, ROBOCOP possesses several flaws which prevent it from qualifying as a classic within the genre. The movie lacks the lasting impact of such films as THE ROAD WARRIOR, THE TERMINATOR, and ALIENS. ROBOCOP's main problem, aside from its dumb title, is that it does not sufficiently develop Murphy's character. We never learn the degree to which Murphy (as Robocop) is human and the degree to which he is a robot. Does Murphy have any human spirit or free will left, or is he merely a computer following a program? The script halfheartedly raises these issues but then abandons them in its climactic flurry of gory action. Moreover, it almost completely ignores the question (and tragedy) of denying a man his right to die in favor of turning him into a machine. ROBOCOP also contains several bothersome loose-ends.
As you watch ROBOCOP, you experience deja vu; you feel as if you have seen the film before. In many respects, ROBOCOP is reminiscent of several other films, including THE TERMINATOR, RETURN OF THE JEDI, and even DEATH WISH. However, to its credit, ROBOCOP easily has enough originality and unique personality to avoid becoming a cheap rip-off.
By : Randy Parker
Source: rec.art.movies.reviews newsgroup
Rating: 4
As long as there are people on this planet there will be two things: crime; and an attempt to stop crime. "Robocop" exploits that notion by painting a picture of grim future and then offers a ray of hope through its hero's actions. Unfortunately, the film tries to maintain a level of satire through its Gothic atmosphere, and the two moods do not work well together.
The setting takes place in a typical futuristic Detroit where crime is so rampant the police force is controlled by OCP - a security corporation that develops military technology. The CEOs of this company are straight from the cliche book. There is the old president and two vice presidents that bicker with each other like little children.
The "bad" V.P., Dick Jones (Cox), has developed a huge robot that would replace human police officers. His model, ED-209, is quite menacing through its appearance alone. But here is where the film makes the first of many mistakes - it doesn't seem satisfied with simple mood alone, it goes too far to define the obvious. ED-209 talks with an evil, computer-generated voice, and it growls like a lion. There is also the "less bad" V.P., Robert Morton (Ferrer), who kisses up to the president and has his "Robocop" project approved when ED-209 malfunctions (didn't see that one coming).
A need for a heroic figure is quickly apparent here and when we meet police officers Murphy (Weller) and Lewis (Allen), it's clear who the savior will be. Murphy is an honest cop who has just transferred with Lewis, who is a female cop but does not display any feminine qualities at all (which is not a complete flaw). And as soon as they get together they are separated when Murphy is blown to bits by a gang of criminals who are entirely too nasty (they look like The Village People on crack, and talk and act like cartoon villains). Murphy is pronounced legally dead and is used in Morton's Robocop project.
And so we get a superhero of sorts and we just can't wait for him to stop the rampant crime spree - or at least that's what we're supposed to feel. We get the obligatory scenes of Robocop using his high technology to stop crimes other cops could not. But these scenes aren't as exciting as they should be. Robocop shoots firsts and asks questions later, and he doesn't seem like some kind of hero, more like a cyborg vigilante.
Stories about vigilantes, or at least "superheroes" tend to have a bit of complexity and mystery to them, but this film is virtually plotless as it wanders between the OCP V.P.s' rivalry and Robocop's recollection of his former life. The element of Jones' involvement with a nasty mob boss named Clarence Boddicker (Smith) is a little too predictable. Meanwhile, Robocop seems to take the law into his own hands.
The ending follows the story's logical conclusion with Robocop running from the controlled police force, almost "dying," but manages to take out the villains anyway.
Overall, "Robocop" is definitely interesting to watch but it seems a bit empty. The Gothic atmosphere could have been used much better had the layer of satire been so distracting. I saw enormous potential here and it really disappointed me it wasn't taken advantage of.
