Title: Robocop
Director: José Padilha
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson.
Certificate: 12A
Length: 117 minutes
The original Robocop from the 80s written by Ed Neumeier and directed by Paul Verhoeven will forever be a genuine classic. Sadly the sequels written by Frank Miller were not in the same class but the original Robocop remains untarnished. It was brutal with its abundance of blood, guns, swearing and violence but it also had brilliant pitch-black humour.
Could a 2014 remake live up to its predecessor? Director José Padilha is well respected so his remake starring Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson certainly had a chance.
In 2028 OmniCorp is the leader in robot technology with drones taking the place of soldiers abroad - although not at home. Drones are not allowed to work on US soil because the public won’t put their faith fully into robots that do not have the capacity to make human decisions. But as too many good men and women lose their lives in the fight against domestic crime on the streets of Detroit, the push for robot technology in police forces is growing. Is there a loophole that would allow technology to be used? After cop Alex Murphy is critically injured by a car bomb human mind and robotic body meets in the creation of Robocop.
This reboot of the Robocop franchise is a decent effort and it has attracted some great actors in Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson who all produce good performances. Joel Kinnaman in the leading role is impressive too.
This remake is a worthy effort. It’s far better than the original sequels but not as good as the original Robocop. It is justified in what its trying to achieve. It is better than most remakes as it really tries to do something a little bit different and new. It’s not a simple retread, it’s trying to reboot the franchise. I’d be happy to see a sequel.
