RoboCop (Movie Review)

Rating:

The “1-4-0″: @RoboCop is an enjoyable action film that delivers a well rounded entertainment experience and is arguably better than the original.

The Gist: Remake of the 1987 classic actioner sees a cop who has been torn to bits after a car explosion is put back together with new robotic parts that makes him a superhuman/robot.

The Highlights: It’ll be hard to not compare this remake with the original, but if we must, then this sequel improves upon Paul Verhoeven’s initial vision. First of all, the CGI and visual elements are much better and sleeker. The film is more emotive, Brazilian director José Padilha gives time and space for the audience to care about the principal characters, the struggle for RoboCop to come to terms with his new self. All this occurs while Padilha is assaulting us with electric and exciting action sequences.

The Lowlights: Towards the end, this remake begins to show narrative deficiencies. For so much feeling we get from the leads and the first hour of the story, the last act is surprisingly anti-climactic. It just moves along setting up the sequel, which will surely happen.

Pay or Nay?: Pay. This is not your typical, loud, one dimensional action flick. There is sincere drama in the story, a level of care for the characters and a social/satirical commentary on security in this country. That’s way more than a lot of the action garbage that studios release around this time of year.