RoboCop (1987)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Edward Neumeier (written by) &
Michael Miner (written by)

Release Date:

17 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Part man. Part machine. All cop. The future of law enforcement.

Plot:

In a dystopic & crime ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg with submerged memories haunting him.

Plot Keywords:

Robocop | Gang | Memory | Robot | Future

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Peter Weller	...	Officer Alex J. Murphy / RoboCop
Nancy Allen	...	Officer Anne Lewis
Dan O'Herlihy	...	The Old Man (as Daniel O'Herlihy)
Ronny Cox	...	Richard 'Dick' Jones
Kurtwood Smith	...	Clarence J. Boddicker
Miguel Ferrer	...	Robert Morton
Robert DoQui	...	Sergeant Warren Reed
Ray Wise	...	Leon C. Nash
Felton Perry	...	Johnson
Paul McCrane	...	Emil M. Antonowsky
Jesse D. Goins	...	Joe P. Cox (as Jesse Goins)
Del Zamora	...	Kaplan
Calvin Jung	...	Steve Minh
Rick Lieberman	...	Walker
Lee de Broux	...	Sal (as Lee DeBroux)

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:78 min (cut version) | Norway:98 min (cut version) | USA:103 min (unrated director's cut) | Finland:91 min (heavily cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | Germany:18 (re-release) (JK/SPIO) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (cut) (video premiere) | Australia:R | Italy:T | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (video rating) (1989) | Finland:(Banned) (1987) | Germany:16 (cut version) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:18A (Ontario) (re-rating) (2004) | USA:R (certificate #28646) (edited for re-rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1988) | Spain:13 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (also director's cut) (2002) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:18SG | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 (DVD rating) | India:A | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (video rating) (1987) | UK:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M (theatrical rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 (cut) | Ireland:18 (director's cut) | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M (TV rating) | New Zealand:R18 (theatrical rating) (director's cut) | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Singapore:M18 (director's cut) (uncut version) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Building One, Studios at Las Colinas - 6301 North O'Connor Road, Irving, Texas, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Paul Verhoeven] [religious imagery]RoboCop is seen walking on water near the end of the film. Verhoeven has stated that he sees the character as a futuristic version of Christ. Additional references include the gunshot blast to Murphy's hand as Jesus' hands being nailed to the cross, the bullet to Murphy's head seen as the Crown Of Thorns, and Boddicker's blood at the climax of the film turning the water red, like wine.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the film, when Clarence and RoboCop come face to face, Clarence holds his hands up and tells RoboCop that he gives up. Clarence's arms are lowered in some shots and raised in others.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Slimey Lawyer: Attempted murder? It's not like he killed someone. This is a clear violation of my client's civil rights.
Bail Bondsman: Make it aggravated assault and I can make bail in cash, now.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Show Me Your Spine

I'd buy this for a dollar!

I've got the music for this movie humming in my head as I type the review. Maybe it's the effect of the movie, or the computer-game based on the movie, I'm not quite sure. Either way it's put me in a more agreeable mood towards this picture.

In the future-world of `Robocop', crime is running wild. The OCP, the police of Detroit, try desperately to fight against it but it's a losing battle. When Officer Murphy is brutally gunned down by a bunch of thugs they see an opportunity to test a new technology. Infusing the body with cyber-technology they create the ultimate crime-fighting machine - the synthetic Robocop. Robocop is out to fight crime. but finds that the fight may take him places he never thought of, including inside his past that he thought erased.

Acting? It's actually above average for a sci-fi flick. Peter Weller is mostly stoic and chisel-jawed here, as he should be seeing as how he's a robot. However the emotion underneath is shown in the glimpse of the eyes, the almost too-determined posture. It's subtle but it works. Those playing the villains have the real fun. They seem to have delight in playing utter pieces of scum, camping it up in a delightfully menacing fashion that's a joy to see.

Speaking of camp. this movie has a great comic-book feel to it. Paul Verhoeven, and the script, have their tongue lodged firmly in their cheek as they make this movie into a satire about the way our vales are changing. The over-the-top violence of the future is reflected in a blackly humorous style by contrasting it against fake-news and ad-snippets. The sheer amount of bullets flying is too much to take in and so you are reduced to incredulity and smiles rather than horror. This is intentional, a saturation of the sensibilities. Without it the movie could feel very bleak. With it there's the feeling of adventure, and an ironic acknowledgement of our own blood-lust in movies. The tone melds with the viewer very well and makes the movie appear more intelligent than it actually probably is, which is something to be said in the IQ of 0 sci-fi culture we're often in.

There's enough action throughout this movie that you're never left bored. The villains have about as much dimension as a dot, but Robocop himself has enough character to have merited the concept of a franchise (even if the follow-ups failed to live up the series' potential). It's a very entertaining piece which is told in a manner that's quite amusing. Worthy of a watch, just don't accept to be blown away. 7/10.