Paul Verhoeven’s science fiction revenge picture is a film that’s thankfully shown very little wrinkles since its introduction in 1987. While “RoboCop” is by no means a masterpiece, it surely does succeed in placing itself in the higher echelons of science fiction where its hero is a victim, even when suited in a heavy metallic coat of armor, blasting away every criminal within eye sight.
“RoboCop” is set in the futuristic “Old Detroit,” a city in the verge of economic collapse, where crime runs rampant. In an effort to literally slip the rug over the bigger problems, the “Omni Consumer Products” corporation hopes to demolish the city while building a brand new civilization named “Delta City” in its place. “RoboCop” views a world that doesn’t just ignore its larger problems, but also exploits every single person within its infrastructure. Upon the introduction of OCP’s planned cybernetic enforcer ED-209, one of the executives is gunned down by the malfunctioning robot and blown out of a window. It’s from that moment the executives in the meeting dwell more on the inefficiency of the robot than they do a lost life. Alex Murphy is the ultimate example of the exploited soul in New Detroit, who becomes one of the first victims of the OCP agenda.
OCP is primarily comprised of two warring executives that have their ideas for a cybernetic cop, and Bob Morton (Miguel Ferrer) is one who plans to combine humans with machines for the first “RoboCop.” Verhoeven’s film really does depict this world as anything but flourishing, as most of New Detroit is riddled with crime and rich industrialists seeking a profit off of the misery from the poor. The introduction of Alex Murphy is calculated in where we know he’s a good cop, just not one who was fortunate. His death is still the most disturbing of the film series, and his resurrection as RoboCop is mixed with tones of surprise, awe, and is a bit ghoulish. RoboCop is a magnificent weapon, but the scientists are taken aback when Alex’s consciousness begins remembering the men that murdered him, causing him to go out and strike them down one by one for revenge.
Meanwhile, Bob Morton and executive Dick Jones are at war over their plans for the next wave of law enforcement in Detroit, leading to a very unique and entertaining war between the higher class that goes deeper than even Alex soon realizes. “RoboCop” manages to be a very entertaining and richly conceived look at a future where nothing is taboo, and even the dead under appreciated civil servants have to keep serving their officials after they’ve died. Alex as RoboCop seeks peace as an unfortunate casualty to the gang violence, but uses his new life as a means of bringing down his murderers, and ultimately the corporation that helped create him. When he’s tortured by his past memories that incidentally include moments of pure happiness, it’s a curse on the body of Winter confined to the machine. And ultimately, it’s a blessing as he’s able to break free and become more than just a cyborg, in the end. With still excellent performances, and a tongue in cheek sense of dark violent humor, “RoboCop” is prime science fiction.
Indeed it is, my good fellow.
blew my mind when i saw this as a kid on tv! violence is good for kids. let your kid watch this film :)