With more and more 1980’s remakes hitting the big screen every year it was a great surprise for 80’s cult movie followers when the powers that be at MGM decided to re-create the action packed crime buster flick Robocop.
Set in a future time when robot drones police other countries around the world but have yet to take hold in the USA, Raymond Sellers (Michael Keaton), owner of the drone manufacturing company OmniCorp is unrelenting is his quest to conquer the home front with his robot drones.
In order get sales at home he knows he must create the first half-man half-robot police drone to appeal to the American public and congress, a cause he will fight for at all costs throughout the movie as Keaton ironically plays the money hungry villain.
Official Trailer #1
With the help of a mad scientist (Gary Oldman), Raymond Sellers creates Robocop in an attempt to appease the American public and congress’ desire for a more human-like robot police officer.
Subsequently, after Detroit police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is blown up by a car bomb in the line of duty, his wife (Abbie Cornish) agrees to allow his mangled body to be used for the Frankenstein-ish operational procedure.
Robocop Behind the Scenes/B-Roll
If you caught the original 80’s movie, you would know that while Robocop’s operation is initially a success, on his quest for justice he struggles to reconcile his life mentally as Alex Murphy in the aftermath of his procedure.
Eventually Robocop goes into a rogue state and takes matters into his own hands as Alex Murphy “the vigilante.” Gradually Alex Murphy’s consciousness takes over and Robocop recalls his life that once was.
Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L Jackson and Gary Oldman Speak on Roles in Robocop
With the help of Alex Murphy’s partner on the Detroit Police force Jack Lewis (Micheal K. Williams – The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, 12 Years a Slave…), Robocop fights to find his killers as all hell breaks loose in Detroit.
If anything, the movie is at least worth checking out because of Samuel L Jackson’s appearance as Pat Novak, host of The Novak Element, a nightly news show a la The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News or Wolf Blitzer on CNN. Samuel L is in classic form and an asset to this film in his role as the omniscient narrator.
Trailer #2
The irony of this movie drove the plot in a humorous fashion as Michael Keaton contrastingly plays the villain role in the action packed super hero movie. It was also funny because Keaton’s role as Batman required a similarly uncomfortable suite during filming in the late 80’s and early 90’s. During press interviews Joel Kinnaman (Robocop) joked about how uncomfortable the Robocop suit was to wear and how he received no sympathy from Michael Keaton on set.
The rest you will have to go see in theaters, as I wouldn’t suggest waiting for DVD or Blu-Ray. The special-fx and high speed scenes are too great to miss on the big screen and worth shelling out the extra cash for some popcorn and a soda. If you like super hero movies, action, sci-fi and love the 80’s this is your movie. While re-makes are never quite as good as the original to cult followers, this one comes close as the souped-up Robocop does look extra dope in black.
Robocop hits theaters February 12 nationwide.